Eevee Royals
by cresellia
Summary: In a world of 18 kingdoms, 8 Eevee Royals, each swearing loyalty to a different legendary pokemon, ascend the throne or fall under the crown's power. Thrown into a world full of treachery and lust for power, the story follows their lives as some fight for love, others for freedom and some simply to dominate. Unknown to most, a greater, evil force manipulates the world as they know.
1. Heiress

**Hi guys,**

 **Remember Eevee Royals? Yeah, so it's back. And me with it.**

 **So many of you have personally messaged me about this fanfiction and asked why I took it down. Truth is, I don't remember. Funny, right? Really guys. It's the honest truth. I may or may not have taken in down in a time when I wasn't...well let's just say wasn't thinking straight. We all make mistakes in life. I believe it was a terrible one if I did accidentally take it down with the intentions of restoring it only for it to be permanently lost. So here's what I did. Dedicated my summer to rewriting some of the initial chapters and incorporating some other elements that were previously missing but promised as a bonus chapter. Hey, if I was gonna bring it back, might as well do it with a twist right? So to those of you who have read this before, know that there may be many things added and some changed to correct the errors in the original edit. There may be some new plot lines or events added. Although much of the contend it largely the same, I hope you guys still enjoy this.**

 **I apologize for disappearing for so long and for the fact that this was taken down. I hope you guys will find it in your hearts to forgive me and stick by me.**

 **To those of you who are new, well, there isn't much to tell. I just hope I can carry you guys along for the ride and make this as thrilling as possible. I promise to try, I really do. I strongly advise you to go over the brief summary given below to get a better idea of the setting itself.**

 _ **Summary:**_

 _ **There are 18 kingdoms in the Pokemon Universe, one for each of the types. These kingdoms are ruled by their respective Kings and Queens. Each of these kingdoms have sworn loyalty to a legendary pokemon that is regarded as their deity. The pokemon of the kingdoms serve these legendary pokemon. The troyal family have been granted special privileges to converse with the Legendary pokemon in what is called 'Ceremony of the Ancient' where the legendary presents itself before them.** **It is not necessary that only specific type of pokemon reside within a kingdom. E.g: Fire type pokemon in Fire kingdom only. The types of pokemon within each kingdom may differ in some occasions. Some kingdoms have alliances and treaties while others are at war. In this universe, our story will take place.**_

 **Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon.**

 **Note: Eevee and all of its evolutionary forms will play a major part in this fanfic.**

 **I won't take up any more of your time. Let's proceed.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

"This will have to do."

The Jolteon admired himself in the mirror, his face set in a bored expression. He turned his head from side to side, his eyes scanning his spiky fur carefully while his mind whirled with all the things the day had in store for him, none of which seemed to amuse him. With a soft sigh, he took a step back from his full-length mirror and turned to his side to make sure the rest of his fur had been thoroughly groomed.

 _A prince must always look his best._ He mumbled the bitter words as he added the final touches and looked once more, smiling for the first time in the day. With just the right amount of electricity and carefully channeled energy, the Jolteon Prince had finally achieved his desired look.

"Your Highness," He heard a familiar voice from behind him. "Your Father awaits. You must hurry now."

His brow furrowed at the thought. His Father, King Ampharos, was not one who would make provision for excuses when it came to the Jolteon Prince. He, to quote his father, was expected to be the responsible one as the eldest. _A Prince does not make excuses._ He repeated his King's words in his mind, the thought void of admiration and respect and full of frustration. _A nation is only as strong as the one who leads._

"Your Highness," The same voice brought him back and the Prince realized he was still staring at himself in the mirror. His eyes turned sharply to focus on the reflection of his Royal Advisor, A pachirisu, waiting impatiently for the prince.

"I am ready now," he announced, his voice clear but dull.

He clearly wasn't pleased with having to attend a yet another audience with his own Father where he would be questioned about his progress as the Commander of the Royal Army of the Blitz Kingdom and no compassion would be extended.

He Royal Advisor nodded once, and then turned around to escort the Prince to the Main Courtyard only for him to flash by in a blur of golden and black, leaving electric trails at his heels. The Pachirisu gasped at the sudden realization, then began to scurry as fast as his tiny feet could carry him in a feeble attempt to catch up with the Jolteon Prince, a task which was physically impossible for a pokemon of his species.

Volt, The Jolteon Prince, sped past the corridors at invisible speed, his reflexes sharp and eyes focused on the path ahead. A small smile played on his muzzle as his paws dashed from left to right to dodge the courtiers he encountered on his way, alarming them for a brief second with his sheer speed and a blurry image of a golden pokemon.

Upon reaching his destination, he stopped instantly and stood up straight on his legs. He could feel the surge of massive electrical energy dying out in his hind limbs while his muscles relaxed from the early morning exercise which had barely left him out of breath. He turned back once more to check up on his fur to make sure it was still sharp and spiky. Satisfied with his appearance, he turned to face the giant door straight ahead. Two Galvantula were stationed at the entrance, guarding the gates that led to the Throne room.

"Let me through," Volt spoke in his authoritative voice, commanding the Guards to open the gates for him.

"Yes, Your Highness," The two said and bowed to the prince.

One of them then crawled up the door and unlocked it while the other pushed it open, revealing the room beyond. As soon as the door opened, the voices inside reduced to a whisper and ultimately, silence fell over the room. A golden carpet lined with black on both ends ran all the way down the marble floor and to the Throne of the King himself. Even from the entrance, Volt could see his father, King Ampharos, seated comfortably on the throne, an Emolga at his feet with a tray of grapes. The room appeared to be crowded as usual with other courtiers, Pikachu, Menetric, Electrabuzz and Voltorb to name a few.

Volt cleared his throat and then marched down the carpet and up to his waiting father, a serious expression on his face with all signs of his previous smile gone. The thrill of the castle run was now behind him. He walked swiftly, yet gracefully, with each step speaking for his royal presence in the room. The other courtiers looked on with admiration at the young prince, some smiling proudly while others whispering.

Prince Volt, The Jolteon, had been the living image of his deceased mother as an Eevee, the former Queen of the Blitz Kingdom. She had been an Espeon and although he had not evolved into her form, he had certainly inherited her calm temperament. On the battlefield, Volt showed no lack of strength and bravery, a trait that had been fairly evident in his father back in his youthful days and this, combined with his speed and size, gave him an extra advantage against any opponent he faced. He was considered rather handsome for his age. The ladies of the court certainly seemed to agree and they did all sorts of things to earn his affections. This would win them a dance or a few kind words from the prince but never his heart. His blood was strong and with his abilities, he had made his army strong in the face of many fearsome nations that had attempted to conquer theirs. He had established his command and was well known amongst his ranks and the other courtiers. He was fit to be the next king.

Only, he wasn't going to be the next king.

The Prince knelt obediently before his father as soon as he reached the small flight of stairs leading up to the throne.

"Rise, my son," his father's voice ordered and he stood up on all four, his eyes locked on the Ampharos King now. Until, of course, he heard his little sister call out to him.

"How do you do, older brother?" The little Eevee asked, her voice painfully cheerful to her Jolteon brother.

He looked sharply to the right where the voice had come from and he found her, perched up on the arm of her father's throne, her muzzle set in a permanent smile. He forced a smile at her, trying to mirror her but could only manage what appeared to be a half-pleasant smile and a small nod of acknowledgement.

His sister, Princess Sapphire, was a rather playful, carefree and an energetic pokemon, a fierce contrast to her more ambitious and serious older brother. She, unlike Volt, had no responsibilities or royal obligations. Throughout their life, she had been a much favorite with her father who favored her over her brother and as such, she had been exempted from many royal duties that Prince Volt had to undertake as a Royal Blood. Sometimes, he wondered if he took up some of the duties that would otherwise fall in her share. But then, she was barely capable of handling said duties. Having no experience in battles and fight, he doubted if she would be able to survive more than few minutes out on the field. She was only trained in basic combat skills which had been taught to her by King Ampharos himself while Prince Volt had to learn from his trainers. Much of her time was invested in learning how to sing and play instruments and to discipline herself in royal etiquettes in order that she may portray herself as a proper lady. She wasn't made to fight out in the field. She was made to sit up on the throne and govern while the strong served her. Yes, she was the one who had been declared the heir to the Blitz Kingdom.

"Volt," King Ampharos spoke, bringing his son's attention back to him. "I hope your preparations for the next expedition are in order."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Volt answered clearly without hesitation.

"Are you sure you're not shirking work for the want of leisure?" King Ampharos pressed on, eying his Jolteon son suspiciously.

"No, Your Majesty."

Volt stood his ground, his eyes impassive and never wavering. He was looking forward to being dismissed. Fortunately for him, he hadn't long to wait. _Father can never stand my presence for long._ He thought. _I am not even allowed to address him as my own father but rather must abide by the royal formalities._

"Be on your way then," King Ampharos commanded. "I expect you to get back to your training."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Volt answered, bowing once more. He then turned around and began to walk back to the door he had entered from without giving Sapphire a second look. She had been looking at him all along only to be ignored by her older brother as usual. Being her usual carefree self, she dismissed it as simply her brother being too preoccupied with his duties to spare her any of his time. She couldn't possibly demand it knowing full well her father was strictly against Volt slacking off.

As soon as the doors slammed shut behind him, Volt sighed and shook his head.

"Your Highness!" The voice of his royal advisor caught him off guard. He turned to the right to look at the panting Pachirisu as he caught up to the prince.

"The business here as been taken care of," Volt informed his royal advisor. "We must head to the Colosseum now."

"Already, Your Highness?" Pachirisu questioned, still panting for breath from his run. The questioned earned him a nod from the prince as a reply before he began to walk away.

"You seem out of sorts Your Highness," The royal advisor asked as he trotted along behind his superior.

"I am alright," Volt answered as he continued to walk. "You need not worry about me."

He clearly sounded uninterested and his advisor was quick to pick this up. However, he chose not to question the prince any further and take him for his word. Inside his mind, Volt was replaying an unpleasant memory, one that had stuck with him since the day of its occurrence.

 **Flashback:**

The Blitz Kingdom was conducting its Ceremony of the Ancients, a special ritual where the royalty would converse with the legendary pokemon they worshipped, Zekrom, the one who supposedly watched over them and guarded them in return for their loyalty and faith. The standard preparations included a small section of the army and the royal family itself and this was almost always carried out in the throne room or the main courtyard.

Zekrom was regarded as the strongest and the most powerful electric deity by the nation and even the other electric deities were known to serve the colossal pokemon. Hence, he was the figure they worshiped and followed.

King Ampharos was standing out front before Zekrom with his children, both Eevee, and an army of Luxray and Raichu behind him. All of the pokemon were kneeling, their eyes fixed on the ground.

"I see," The Zekrom said to the king. "I can tell your son is going to be very resourceful to the kingdom. You must see that he is raised well."

King Ampharos smiled proudly as he looked down at his son. The Eevee looked awestruck, his eyes fixed on the very image of power and wrath.

"About your daughter," Zekrom continued, shifting his red eyes to the other Eevee who looked like she was going to faint from fear. "Keep a close eye on her. I sense a strange aura from her. She could lead Blitz to greatness or be the reason for its downfall."

King Ampharos knelt obediently before the pokemon, his mind contemplating what the legendary had spoken of. Volt and Sapphire followed their father and did the same.

With those words, Zekrom disappeared in a blinding white light, leaving behind a puzzled King and his two offspring, one overjoyed and the other quivering in fear.

 **Flashback ends:**

Prince Volt frowned at the unpleasant memory and gritted his teeth inside his muzzle while continuing his journey.

Life had completely changed for the two Eevee Royals after the day they were introduced to the legendary pokemon. Zekrom had declared a prophecy that immediately elevated his sister to the status of the 'Future Queen' while he struggled in his day-to-day routine of harsh and prolonged training sessions without so much as a kind word or praise from his father. As his sister grew closer to their father, he grew distant, cold and bitter. He had been quite close to his mother until she fell fatally ill and passed away, leaving her broken family behind. She had been his only support but even she wasn't privy to her son's personal feelings. After her demise, Volt threw himself in his training and purposely kept himself busy to avoid confronting his family, a decision his father wholeheartedly approved of. Not that he had to put a heart to it but nobody was questioning. Prince Volt established himself as a respectable warrior which got him promoted to the status of Commander-in-Chief of the army the King's most trusted warrior, but never his favorite son or heir. A victim of his own ambition, the Prince was still reluctant to hand his kingdom to what he labeled the 'Doll Princess' and the thought of her succeeding his father always enraged him.

Such memories were painful to him. A life where he had been denied what he had so rightfully earned infuriated him. But it always put him hard at work. _There is nothing like a daily dose of bitter-sweet memories to get my blood going._ He thought as he zapped past his opponent, a Luxio, with a quick attack then made a sharp turn to face him and attack with Hyper Beam. The Luxio jumped in time to dodge and landed on all four paws then dashed out of sight to flee the approaching prince.

Volt was barely concentrating on the battle. His mind was occupied with different thoughts entirely. He was coming to terms with the fact that sheer strength and absolute loyalty to his Father would earn him nothing. Or at least not what he wanted. _I need to change my course._ He thought as he unleashed his dig move and emerged from the ground, hitting the Luxio under the jaw and throwing him off guard. _But how? What other possible way is there to prove myself worthy of the throne?_ He thought as he dodged the Luxio's crunch by a mere inch and used Retaliate to counter attack. The Luxio took the hit.

The image of his sister, Sapphire, flashed in his mind, smiling as usual. He blinked fast, taken aback for a second. The Luxio took the opportunity to unleash Strength. The powerful blow sent Volt flying back but he managed to land on his paws easily. He lashed at the Luxio with a quick attack, his style turning a bit reckless to his usual one.

 _Sapphire._ He thought, a smile forming on his muzzle. _That's it. She will have to take the fall._ He zapped left and right to confuse the Luxio who was now attacking the Prince blindly. _The Beloved Princess of all is no beloved sister of mine. And if I cannot take the throne by fair means, then so be it._ He used double kick with his hind legs and sent the Luxio sprawling on the ground. The pokemon barely managed to get up and spit the sand from his mouth before being attacked by one final hyper beam that decided the winner.

 _With Sapphire out of the way, there would be no one to stop me from becoming the king._ Volt thought as he looked at his opponent. The Luxio limped to the side of the battle ground, looking defeated. A pleased smile formed on Volt's Muzzle as he stood up straight and took a deep breath. The plan began to shape in his mind and an evil voice began to whisper in his ear. They say that when consumed with hatred, one would find reasons to justify what he had previously deemed unrighteous. This simply applied to the electric prince whose mind was now filled with such malicious thoughts. Never once did he stop to consider that this was his own blood he was about to turn on. His only thought was how to eliminate Princess Sapphire from his path.

With the battle with the Luxio over, Volt made his way to the side of the battle ground where Pachirisu was waiting for him. The Royal Advisor hurried over to the prince and threw a towel over his shoulders.

"Very well done!" He cheered as he trotted along the Prince's heels. "You are quite the strong one, Your Highness."

Volt smiled down at the royal advisor, amused with the flattery but aware nonetheless.

"Flattery gets you nowhere, Pachirisu," Volt snickered as he rubbed the sweat off his face with the towel. "This is all the result of my tireless effort and training."

"And well-deserved, if I do say so myself," the Pachirisu answered.

Prince Volt chuckled at the answer and sat down on the bench. It was almost funny. Almost.

"Pachirisu," he addressed his royal advisor. "This will be all for today."

Pachirisu blinked in confusion and titled his head slightly, surprised by the Prince's decision. He was slacking off on training. In all the years he had served the prince, Prince Volt has always invested most of his time in bettering himself as a warrior and leader. They had barely been in the Colosseum for an hour and Volt was already moving on. He always battled a minimum of fifteen opponents before tending to his other businesses. His best guess was that Volt must have found a girl he was eager to see but little did he know of what was going on inside the prince's mind.

"I need you to take care of something," Prince Volt ordered Pachirisu, turning his back to the royal advisor to hide the devious look in his eyes while slowly walking away.

"What is it, your Highness?" The royal advisor asked.

"I need you to arrange an ice-type pokemon for my opponent tomorrow."

* * *

 **Well, that's the first chapter. I apologize for any spelling and grammar errors.**

 **Thank you for taking your time to read this. I appreciate it.**

 **Overall, I just hope you guys liked it. Leave a review and I'll get back to you guys soon with a new chapter!**


	2. Prince of Flames

**Ok Guys. The chapter 2 is here.**

 **Thanks to all my old readers who are still following this. You guys are my motivation.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon.**

 **I apologize in advance for any Grammar and spelling mistakes you may still find.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

 **In Frere Kingdom:-**

Frere Kingdom, a nation of fire-types, lied far North-East of the Blitz Kingdom.

A kingdom originally founded by the nomads in the volcanic area, Frere Kingdom was built into the side of a volcano named Frere. What started off as a temporary settlement for the fire pokemon nomads soon developed a system of monarchy which led to the rise of this kingdom with royalty passed down from generations to generations. Home to many fire and rock type pokemon, as they could withstand the harsh climatic conditions of the volcanic region, the kingdom was able to successfully establish its strength in its first war against a conquering kingdom where they were heavily outnumbered but their wit pulled them through. After years of careful planning, strategizing and developing, they were now one of the most well known kingdoms in the world.

Much of the structure of the kingdom was built around the rocky terrains with its cities stretching over the Mountainous landscape, a topographical feature its inhabitants were long accustomed to. The castle was the closest to the Volcano with its walls artificially constructed around to guard the territory and the royal family. Frere Kingdom was one that was completely devoid of vegetation save for the garden of mountain orchids on the other side of the Frere Castle. Instead of the usual palace gardens with their brightly colored foliage and sweet scented fruits, Frere had a unique combination of lava pits and uneven terrain which were carefully maintained by the Magma, Magcargo and other official fire pokemon. The castle was a reflection of their identity as the dwellers of the fire nation.

Prince Blaze, the Young Flareon Prince and one of the last two survivors of the Frere Royal Family, was outside the castle grounds and inside the busy market place area of their capital city.

"That won't do, child!" A Camprupt growled, stamping his massive hoof with agitation. "Use your head, you fluffed up meat!"

Blaze frowned, his eyes fixed on the Houndoom growling at him and his ear slightly tilted in the direction the voice had come from. _I don't need distraction._ He thought grumpily before turning his attention back to where it was needed. He was in the center of the circle of many pokemon, all commoners, and he was face to face with one of the well-known wrestlers of the city. The Houndoom lowered his neck and growled, showing off its dangerous fangs bustling with red and orange flames.

 _I need to end this quickly._ The Flareon Prince thought anxiously as he looked on, waiting for the Houndoom to make his move. The rules of this street sport were simple and he knew them. Two pokemon were to wrestle and the spectators would form a circle around them to create a ring for them to fight in. With each passing minute, they would close in, making the circle smaller so that the participants would have less space to fight in and would be forced to fight with fewer opportunities to dodge from the lack of space. He had already spent a sufficient amount of time and the field certainly did feel congested, making him unable to fight to his full potential. Perhaps that is what he loved about this sport; the thrill of the uncertainty and the odds growing against him.

The Houndoom charged forward, his jaws wide open, fangs bare with flames gone. _Crunch._ Blaze immediately thought and as soon as the Houndoom made for his neck, he jumped up just in time to dodge and sent the pokemon crashing on to the ground below with full force of its own attack. Blaze flipped in the air and aimed at the opponent below, hind legs in the air and unleashed his Rock Smash. The Houndoom below rolled over onto his back to aim at the Flareon in the air, its muzzle glowing a mysterious purple before shooting a shadow ball. The two attacks collided with great force and although his shadow ball managed to lessen the impact of rock smash, the Houndoom's weakness to the element itself resulted in his defeat. Blaze easily landed on his paws without so much as a scratch from the final blow but a good deal tired from the overall battled. His yellow mane was wet with sweat and his body heaved for every precious breath.

"To the victor goes the spoil!" The old Torkoal, the organizer of these fights declared. "The Flareon wins."

Prince Blaze relaxed and straightened up, his facial expressions softening and breathing slowing down. This is what he truly found pleasure in; a good fight amongst the commoners outside his castle grounds, a place where no one recognized his identity and a place where he could be free from royal obligations and duties and could simply relax and take in the busy life of the commoner's world. Although the fighters here were not of noble blood or 'good breeding' as his late father would have called it, he still found himself enjoying a good deal more with them then he did with the warriors of Frere Army. Much of their style was crude, basic and severely lacking in discipline. But if there was one thing the Flareon Prince was sure of, it was that these pokemon fought to win and that gave him a fun challenge.

"Your Highness!" The female voice made the Flareon nearly jump.

He turned around quickly and caught sight of her, standing amidst the crowd of much larger pokemon. He gave her the pleading look, eyes reflecting his anxiousness and saw her shrink back in embarrassment. Pitying her, he smiled and nodded at her, reassuring her that no harm had been done amidst the sound of the cheering crowd.

"I suppose you should take this," The Houndoom said. Blaze quickly turned his head to face him. The pokemon was holding a sack, the same one they had put the gold in before starting the gamble.

"It is alright," Blaze said, trying to speak casually, a tone that did not come naturally to the royal. "I do not need this. You can keep it."

"Are you sure?" The Houndoom replied, looking surprised. He dropped the sack near his foot. "But you won. It's only fair."

"It really is alright," Blaze reassured him. "I do not fight to gamble but for the sake of the sport. I'll be off now."

With those parting words, he turned and began to walk away. The other pokemon came running around, some congratulating, others questioning about where he had learnt to fight. While Blaze was tempted to engage in this interesting topic, he knew he didn't have much time before someone at the castle found him gone.

"I really have to leave," he said, excusing himself. "I promise! I'll answer next time!"

He made a run for it, leaving behind the confused group of pokemon. He ran straight down the market street and turned left, making a run for the other section of the market. The sound of the feet following him put a smile on his muzzle and he slowed down, knowing full well that his best friend had followed him through the crowd. By the time she caught up, the two had slowed down to a walking speed and were now making their way through a crowded market area.

"Your Highness," she said in a protesting tone. "We really should be heading back."

"But we are heading back," Blaze said, ruffling the Fennekin's mane. "This is the route back."

"I do wish you would stop this," The Fennikin continued her protest, pouting a little. "These excursions outside the castle walls are not something you should be investing your time in."

"But look how much fun we are having," Blaze answered, chuckling at his Royal Advisor's usual requests. "Also, I told you. You need not follow me. You do so anyway."

"That is because I am answerable to the king should something happen to you," she answered, laughing a bit herself now. She had to admit. The outside world was so much more fascinating then the confined world inside their palace walls.

"Ah yes, my brother," Blaze said, shaking his head and smiling. "You do realize that I am willing to take full responsibility for…for…for…well my irresponsibility. However, I would never let you take the fall for something I chose to do."

"You hesitated," she said, smirking at him. "You struggle with your words, Your Highness."

"Oh be quiet you!" Blaze said, playfully shoving her aside with his paw. "And please. Stop referring to me as royalty. We do not want the word to get out."

Fennekin chuckled at his response and the two continued the journey as silence fell between them.

Prince Blaze was generally a more adventurous type of a pokemon and had no desire to rule. His simple wish was to be free from all his royal obligations so he could travel the world and see different kingdoms. His lifestyle had been a boring one under the confinements of his own palace walls where he was taught how to act like royalty and expected to live by it. His Father had been a hardheaded ruler and as a kid, Blaze had been repeatedly told by the servants that the king had no time to spare for the young prince. He never knew his mother. The Queen had passed away in his infancy. Blaze had grown up hearing plenty about his mother, but never remembering her warmth. One of such stories included how the death of the Queen had left the Frere King heartbroken. A few years later, the King took a second wife and of course that was the end of that rumor. The new Queen was already mother to a child, a Growlithe, who became Blaze's stepbrother. When the initial sibling rivalry passed away, the two grew quite close to each other and were inseparable since.

Life seemed to have fallen in place for the lonely Prince until tragedy struck and the King and the new Queen both were killed in a war. As one of the last survivors of royal blood, Arcanine, being the older of the two, took over the throne as King and resumed controlled over the Kingdom. Prince Blaze, who expressed no desire to take up the throne, served his brother faithfully by his side. Those days had been hard for the two royals. One moment, it was carefree days of racing around the castle premises and the next moment, it was running an entire kingdom.

Thinking back to those days, Blaze smiled a bit on how far they had come.

"Oh, I nearly forgot," Fennekin said, pulling Blaze out of his thoughts. "His Majesty said that the Ceremony of the Ancients was to be today."

His ears pricked up in shock as soon as he heard the news.

"When exactly?" Blaze asked, fear evident in his voice.

"This noon, Your Highness," Fennekin answered hesitantly as the reality dawned on her. It was almost noon.

The two made a run for the castle.

 **In Blitz Kingdom:-**

"Your Highness? Where are you off to?"

Princess Sapphire turned around hastily to see who had called out to her. A beautifly and a Butterfree came flying over to catch up to her. She smiled as she recognized the two and stopped to spare them a moment. The two were gardeners in the palace castle alongside many other Lotad, Bellossom and a few Meganium. She had remembered them well from the many times she had encountered them while on her walks in the garden.

"I am headed to the colosseum," She answered enthusiastically, her brown tail swishing from side to side in excitement and anticipation. "My brother summoned me! Do you believe it?"

"His Highness, Prince Volt?" The Beautifly asked, hovering back and forth with her Butterfree partner. "If I'm not mistaken, My Lady, I do remember you telling me that the Young Lord was far too busy for you."

"That is true," Sapphire replied, thinking for a brief moment. "But he had sent his own personal royal advisor as the envoy. I do wonder what it is that he has called me for."

"I see!" the Butterfree chirped. "Then it must be him! Hurry along then, Your Highness. You mustn't keep him waiting!"

"Absolutely!" Princess Sapphire agreed and she quickly turning around to run again. "Have a nice day!"

"Thank you, My Lady!" Beautifly called out to the running princess.

"She will make a wonderful Queen one day," Butterfree said as she began to fly back towards the flower beds.

"I agree," The Beautifly nodded as she followed her partner.

Princess Sapphire soon reached the gates to the colosseum and stood before it, breathing heavily. The pampered princess was certainly not used to running at full speed for an extended period of time without breaks. She had been taught to be more composed and calm as a princess. At the most, she would rush from one music class to another when she was running late, which seldom occurred as the habit of strict punctuality had also been indoctrinated into her. She stood there before the colosseum gate, choosing to rest and catch her breath before presenting herself to her brother.

Princess Sapphire never fully understood why she and her brother were being raised in two entirely different ways and had often questioned her teachers. Their only answer was, 'he is a Prince. And you're a Princess.' With this information, her only conclusion was that this was how the law of her nation expected both the genders to behave. Never once had she been told that she would be crowned Queen. Sapphire had always been a big supporter of her brother as the future King and sincerely believed he would do brilliantly as the next Ruler of the Blitz Kingdom. Her sole motivation for doing well was so she could serve him well when he succeeded their father, fulfilling her role as the Princess of the Kingdom.

Having caught her breath, the Eevee Princess stood up and made her way into the colosseum. She entered in without fear. What reason had she to be afraid if her brother was waiting for her inside? He would surely protect her from anything that posed a threat to her. Well, whether he would or not was something she was about to find out.

Sapphire began to walk slowly into this new environment, her eyes darting from left to right as she looked at several pokemon working out and training. Luxray, Eletrivire, Zebstrika and several other pokemon caught her attention, all of whom appeared to be ten times larger than her petite figure. Her ears shrank as fear finally began to settle in, eyes still searching for the familiar figure of her Jolteon brother.

"Sapphire," A gentle voice rang in her ears.

She turned around, fears forgotten and ears pricked up in excitement. There he was, making his way towards her from the left side of the colosseum. Sapphire could hardly contain herself and she began to trot up to her brother.

"Good day to you, brother," she said as she bowed to her own older brother.

"You look fine this morning, my lovely sister," Volt said, flattering his little sister. He put a paw around her shoulder and hugged her to him, his golden fur against her creamy brown.

"Thank you," Sapphire replied cheerfully as she flashed her brother one of her usual smiles. "May I ask what it is that you have summoned me for?"

"Ah yes," Volt replied, smiling down reassuringly at his younger sister. "Follow me."

The Jolteon Prince led his sister to the west side of the colosseum and through a gateway beyond which was his own personal chamber for training sessions. He led her to the bench where he motioned for her to sit down. She did so obediently.

"Oh, my apologies," Volt suddenly said. "I forgot something."

Sapphire tilted her head in confusion and blinked at her brother. She couldn't make sense of what he was trying to say or why she had been called here at all. He was being terribly discreet about whatever it was inside his mind.  
"Now just you wait here," Volt instructed his sister as he began to run for the door. "I need to fetch something. You'll wait for me here, won't you?"

"Of course," Sapphire answer. "Whatever you command."

Satisfied, Volt ran for the door and exited the room, closing the door behind him. He did a good job at looking hasty and even worried and he was absolutely sure his sister believed every word he said. An evil smile on his muzzle, Volt locked the door behind him and left his sister inside.

Princess Sapphire waited patiently for her brother for what felt like hours to her. The anticipation of what her brother could have possibly left to fetch was killing her. Was this supposed to be some sort of a surprise? She began to think up of all the possible things it could be but failed. As much as she loved her brother, she had not spent enough time with him to know exactly what he was thinking. She would just have to wait to find out.

She began to hum a song as she waited for her brother to return to the chambers. Just then, something in the air began to feel heavy and the realization dawned on her that she wasn't alone. _Why does the air feel so chilly all of a sudden?_ She thought to herself. Her ears pricked up and she began to listen carefully to the sounds around her.

"Are you Princess Sapphire?" A loud, rough voice questioned her.

She gasped and began to look around frantically, searching for its source but found none. Fear began to consume her. She instinctively stood up from the bench where she had been instructed by her brother to stay and began to walk towards the center of what she thought appeared to be a fighting arena. For some reason, walking around felt safer to her than sitting in one spot.

"W-Who are y-you?" she managed to utter the question though she stammered twice with fright evident in her voice.

She heard a strange sound coming from the center of the arena. She narrowed her eyes at the spot where she could see the ground churning in a strange circular motion she could not explain, afraid to the core but still curious. Soon enough, a pokemon popped out from under the ground and turned around to face her. He had a round body with no arms and legs and appeared to be floating. Two black horns stretched out from his head. His face appeared to be stuck in a permanent frown and a grin. He was the very vision of malice and mischievousness, or so Sapphire thought.

She led out a shrill cry but her voice went unheard. She made an attempt to run for the door but tripped on her tail and fell flat on the ground.

"You must be her," The pokemon, Glalie, said, laughing at the tiny Eevee. "Let us begin then."

* * *

 **I'll be back in the next 5 days with the new chapter.**

 **Leave a review and let me know what you think.**


	3. Change

**Guys. I am so sorry I'm late with this. It's been weeks, I know. It just got busy, too busy. Life has a funny way of treating me.**

 **Still, I'm here now with the new chapter so I hope you'll enjoy it.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon.**

 **I apologize in advance for any grammar and spelling errors. I was in a hurry to get this up.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

Princess Sapphire stared wide-eyed at the floating ice pokemon.

The menacing look on his face was enough of an indication that his intentions were not good. _How did he even get in here?_ Sapphire asked herself. She had been absolutely sure that her brother had left her alone in his private training arena. The sudden appearance of an intruder not only confused her but scared her half to death. Something about the air didn't feel right.

"W-What do you want?" she mumbled, her voice just barely audible. She could feel her heart beating fast against her chest and her legs quivering in fear.

"To spar," The Glalie replied, not amused. "I thought I was very clear on that."

"But I-" she stammered. "I-I j-just came to see my b-brother."

The Glalie sighed, frustrated with the princess's ignorance. He scanned the Eevee's body and smirked at all the signs of fear she was exhibiting so openly. His malicious smile broadened after taking in the sight of the helpless Eevee Princess. _This should be a rather easy target._ He thought. _But I am not supposed to kill her. His words were clear. Fight till the evolution._ The Glalie snapped out of his thoughts and realized the princess still hadn't moved an inch. She was rooted to one spot, her eyes wild with fright.

"Perhaps you need a little persuasion," Glalie chuckled. Then he floated up higher and shot an ice beam, aiming for her forehead.

Sapphire was not quick on her reflexes. Though she did make as attempt to move out of the way, she ended up being hit on the side and falling down. Gasping from the impact, she hurriedly stood back up and tried to make a run for the door.

Her legs were not quite so cooperative in this stressful situation but then again, the Princess barely had any previous experience with stress. She could hear the Glalie laughing at her as she ran up the door. She placed her forepaws on the handle and tried to push the door open with all her might.

"Huh!" She gasped, slamming her paws wildly on the wooden door. "It won't budge!"

"You cannot escape, Princess!" The Glalie yelled mockingly.

She turned around and saw the Glalie approaching fast, his mouth going in for the Ice Fang. She ducked just in time to dodge the attack and slid underneath his floating figure from where she dashed towards the center of the fighting pit. The Glalie slammed hard into the wooden door. He was quick to recover from the blow and was soon floating towards the Blitz Princess again.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked desperately, gasping for breath.

"I have no reason to answer to you!" The Glalie growled at her, then grinned.

She shrank back in fear, her ears drooping. His voice was hard with not an inkling of kindness. It sent chills running down her spine. _Brother! Oh Brother, please hurry back!_

The Glalie floated closer to her and stopped, blinking slowly at her. She understood. To him, chasing her around was a sport and an interesting one at that. He had no intentions of taking her down quickly but rather to prolong her suffering for his own amusement. Seeing as to how he was waiting for her to flee again, Sapphire used her quick attack and ran straight towards him, hoping to take him down with a surprise attack.

The Glalie blinked at the fast approaching pokemon before spinning a bit to the left to dodge and simultaneously using his ice beam to construct an ice structure for Princess Sapphire to crash into. Her fragile paws scraped against the sandy ground beneath as she tried to stop herself from slamming into the ice barricade. Succeeding, she quickly turned right and tried to scurry out of the way, her mind anticipating an immediate move, only to have her path blocked by another similar structure produced by her oppressor. She quickly turned left to run again but he was fast to respond and blocked her path once more. Unable to jump over due to her small size, she turned around to face him.

"I suppose I should end this now," The Glalie said, his smile never fading.

Her legs gave way and she slumped to the floor. Her eyes were still fixed on him, his full of spite and her hers reflecting fear. The Glalie took a deep breath and used one final move; ice beam. With that, he froze the frightening Princess into an ice encasing. The Glalie seized his ice move once the deed was done and took a full minute to observe the results of his actions.

"That should do it," He breathed, sighing to himself. "It should trigger the evolution."

Princess Sapphire, inside the ice casing, was very much alive and conscious. Her heartbeat had slowed down from the sudden change in temperature and she found herself unable to move. Her body had gone numb from the cold. She couldn't even feel the cold ice against her fur. Death was imminent, to her at least. She wanted to break free and fight but she also knew how weak she really was against such a fearsome foe. She probably would be paralyzed in fear if not frozen in this ice case. _Is this truly the end?_

Just then, she felt a surge of energy flowing through her limbs and body, her heart at the origin. Surprisingly, it began beating fast and the energy began to course faster through her vein. Her instincts were kicking in. _I want to live. I want to live. I want to live._ She repeated the phrase several times in her mind, the energy growing stronger with every word. Suddenly, she felt her body beginning to change. It felt like her legs were growing longer and tail thinning out, taking a sharper more flat shape in contrast to their former soft and furry forms. A strange sensation on her head made her realize she was growing a crown-like structure over her head with two teal dangles growing down the side of her face along with it. This change made her feel empowered and stronger. With this power, she kicked back at the hard ice with all four, shattering the encasing as if it had been made of glass and landed easily on her paws.

A gasp escaped her lips as she realized her fur had transformed from its creamy brown and white to a light-blue and teal. She took a minute to study herself. _I have evolved!_ The realization dawned on her as her eyes widened in shock.

"Ah, so the Princess has evolved," The Glalie snickered, grabbing her attention in the process. She turned sharply to look at him.

"I would applaud you, Your Highness," he continued, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "If I had any hands."

Princess Sapphire stared at the floating pokemon, still breathing hard. She slowly began to push herself up on her shaking legs, her eyes never leaving the black-horned beast. He was blinking slowly, his grin never leaving his face. Looking at him now, she could feel no fear, no danger and no threat. All of her previous feelings had now been overridden by a strange force of energy she could feel inside her. Her evolution had sharpened her senses. She could see better and hear better. _Fight_. Something inside her urged her.

The Glalie was still floating a good distance away from the newly evolved Blitz Princess, looking quite pleased with the outcome. _I kept my end of the deal. The Princess has evolved into a Glaceon as was the objective. His Highness, Volt, will be most pleased._

The Glalie had failed to anticipate the move that hit him square in the nose and sent him rolling into the ground. Stuck upside down with his horns lodged firmly into the ground, he looked at the blue pokemon slowly walking towards him.

"Ah, it a fight that you desire," The Glalie said mockingly as he plucked his horns out of the ground and stood the right way up. "I shall grant you that wish."

The Glalie positioned himself for the next attack and then shot himself forth in the her direction, his Payback move hitting her underbelly and horns digging into her flesh.

Sapphire lay sprawled on the ground, bleeding. She raised her head up with little energy she had to look up at the pokemon and saw him smiling, his black horns stained with her blood. She had taken heavy damage from the battle before and even though the evolution had strengthened her from within, she was still no match for him. He was well aware of it. It was an effortless fight for him. The surprise attack may have caught him off guard but rest assured, it was something she could not repeat. Not with her luck.

"What h-had you h-hoped to gain?" Sapphire said, choking and coughing from the damage she had taken.

"That is not for you to know," The Glalie informed her.

He then began to channel all his energy into one final move to finish her off. Her mouth fell open and eyes widened as she realized he was preparing to use Gyro ball, a move that would be powerful against her ice element. Her vision was already beginning to blur. Her senses were fading fast and she wondered if she would feel the pain if she simply passed out before the attack hit.

"P-Please. Don't," she begged, whispering.

He was not going to stop. Her plea had gone on deaf ears. She closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable. The Glalie was about to unleash his move when a mighty force knocked the brute back and sent him flying over Sapphire's body and into the wall in the far corner of the arena.

The Glalie recovered his composure quickly and glared angrily into the direction of the princess, his eyes wide with rage. His eyes met with a more determined and infuriated look of the pokemon he had met a day before. The Glalie slowly floated closer, uncertain of where he stood against the golden furred Prince who was now standing defensively before his sister, his jaws showing off the dangerous fangs that could pierce through his ice-hard body.

"Your Highness," The Glalie attempted to speak to the prince.

"W-Who are you?" Prince Volt barked angrily at the ice pokemon. "How did you get inside my private chambers?"

The Glalie understood instantly. The Prince was not going to let anything ruin his little scam. Panic began to overwhelm the icy brute. It was one thing to fight the rather inexperienced and clumsy Princess Sapphire. But Prince Volt was a different question. Famous for his war tactics and skills as a formidable warrior of Blitz, the Glalie had no chance. _Am I sweating?_ Glalie thought to himself, alarmed. The pokemon believed that his frozen features would prevent such a display of fear.

"Answer me!" Volt shrieked as he charged forth towards the pokemon with a quick attack, his speed five times that of his sister in her pre-evolved form.

The Glalie didn't even have time to react. He took the hit and found himself slammed hard into the wall. Prince Volt didn't stop there. Volt dug his fangs into his body and the Glalie felt the bolts of electricity drop down his body as his outer structure shattered under the massively powerful bite of the Jolteon Prince. A shrill cry, unrecognizable from his standard roar, escaped his mouth.

Volt flung the pokemon away and towards the wooden gate where the onlookers stood, staring wide-eyed at the commotion going on. Some looking horrified at their ignorance and negligence of the Blitz princess while others looked on with concern.

Glalie managed to float back up in his weakened state but as soon as did, Volt was upon him. He was faster, much faster. Fast enough to put lightning to shame. Glalie had no time to react. His eyes widened as one final move, double kick, hit him in the jaws and knocked his lights out. Volt stood in his spot, glaring at the pokemon, not even out of breath. He then turned around to see his younger sister lying on the ground, making no efforts to move.

"Sapphire!" Prince Volt yelled as he ran to his sister's side and knelt down. "Speak to me, dear sister!"

"V-Volt," Sapphire whispered, trying to smile up at her brother.

"Save your strength," Volt spoke softly as he nuzzled his Glaceon sister, his voice full of concern. "My, you have evolved."

"Ah, so it would seem," she sounded happy even in her feeble state. Volt could not believe how gullible his sister was.

"Come," he spoke to her, helping to stand up against his side. "We must get you to a healer."

She managed a weak nod as she stood up on her shaky legs. She caught many sympathetic looks of her observers and realized what a mess she must have looked. Seeing the unconscious Glalie in the far corner reassured her that her brother had taken care of everything. _I am going to be alright._ She thought. She was about to find out how wrong she really was.

 **In Frere Kingdom:-**

Prince Blaze threw the doors to the throne room open and barged in, Fennekin rushing right behind him, apologizing hastily to the simisears that had been posted to guard the door and keep the uninvited guests out. The hurriedly closed the doors behind them, shaking their heads as they did so.

Blaze quickly ran down the red carpet, taking no time to pay attention to the small army of Pyroar, Blaziken and Infernape standing to his left and right.

"Deepest apologies for being late, Your Majesty," Prince Blaze apologized as he took his place beside the brother. "I was-"

"Worry not, Blaze," His brother said calmly without glancing down at him. "You are here now. That is all that matters."

Having had his conscious cleared, he heaved a sigh of relief and smiled up at his brother. He noticed how well groomed his brother's coat looked with its orange pelt and black stripes and his head covered in beige fur. Blaze nearly jumped with sudden realization on how his own fur looked disorganized, a stark contrast to his brother, King Arcanine.

"It's starting," King Arcanine informed him as he began to kneel down.

Blaze quickly followed after and also kneeled, thanking his lucky star. With the Ceremony in motion, no one would be paying attention to him. Then he began to curse himself as he realized the Legendary Pokemon, Reshiram, will be observing in their place and this was a highly unacceptable way to present yourself before your deity. He wondered if she would take this as an insult and began to mentally run through all the excuses he could offer in the most respectable manner possible.

The room suddenly went dark as if something was blocking out all the light inside the throne room. Then slowly, the torches on the wall began to light up a brilliant red and orange flame. Arcanine closed his eyes and focused his mind. He was very familiar with this part of the Ceremony where Reshiram would make her godly entrance.

It was sudden. A small flame shot up in the far center of the room which instantly grew into a wild fire, its orange flames swirling and lashing out dangerously. The flames appeared to be moving around, circling a much larger entity that appeared to be at its heart. Reshiram emerged from the flame storm and spread her brilliant white wings, showing all her glory and power. As her feet landed on the throne room floor, the flames around her began to die down, revealing her feathery white body beneath. She slowly folded up her giant wings and craned her neck to bring her subordinates under her eyesight.

"Rise, my followers," Reshiram said, her voice soft and kind.

Arcanine stood up from his kneeling position and Blaze followed him.

"Arcanine," Reshiram said, addressing the King of Frere. "I see that you have done well as the king. In your short reign, you have already united the Frere Kingdom with Aerial Kingdom. Know that your alliance will serve our nation well in times of war. For that, I commend you."

Arcanine bowed his head in acceptance.

"I express my gratitude to you," Arcanine said. "For answering our prayers, for always watching over us and guiding us. You are the sole reason for our strength and endurance and the sole reason we strive with all our might."

Reshiram smiled down at the pokemon, her blue eyes fixed on him. She lowered her neck and brought her muzzle even closer so she could see him properly.

"We await your next command," Arcanine spoke boldly and clearly. "With the alliance formed, we are ready for the next course of action."

"Alas, that is not why I am here, my child," Reshiram said in a soft tone with a hint of grief. "I came here to warn you of what is to come. I foresee an attack. A conquering kingdom will soon set its course for the Frere volcano from the South. The army, it will march from dawn to dusk until it reaches the battlefield. You must march to war in defense if you are to protect the kingdom and its people."

Arcanine, taken aback, looked firmly at the Legendary. Then he bowed once.

"It was inevitable," Arcanine finally said. "And I am pleased to say that we have no lack of pokemon to fight our wars. We shall defend this kingdom till our last breath. I shall lead the army myself."

"I wish you luck," Reshiram said as she raised her head back up. "And may you live to see your nation prosper."

Flames began to encompass her colossal figure once more as she spread out her wings again. The flames appeared to consume her as they swirled around, cloaking her white body into its glorious shade of red and orange. With her final words, Reshiram was gone. The torches went out and daylight flooded into the throne room, marking the end of the Ceremony of the Ancients.

"I suppose we prepare for war," Arcanine mumbled to himself before turning to command his army.

"You have heard the deity," He spoke in a loud voice as he addressed the army. "Make haste. And make necessary preparations. Spread the word."

The gates were thrown open. The pokemon bowed before their ruler and then began to march out of the room. Prince Blaze simply observed as they walked out silently with only sounds being that of their marching feet.

"Blaze," Arcanine said, his voice grabbing his attention.

Blaze obediently walked up to his older brother, a smile on his muzzle.

"Worry not, Your Majesty," Blaze said reassuringly. "I have confidence and faith in your skills as a warrior and leader. You will do well."

"I need you," Arcanine said earnestly, looking his brother in the eyes. "I need you to accompany me in this battle."

His eyes widened as his mind registered what his brother had just asked of him. Bewildered, Blaze shook his head slowly in denial. This was not something he had expected of as a responsibility.

"Brother," Blaze said, addressing Arcanine as his brother for the first time in the day. "You are very well aware that I do not fight in war."

His statement unintentionally came off as a plea. Arcanine gave him a sympathetic smile. The older brother had always assumed that Blaze's deep-rooted hatred for war came for the fact that they had lost their family to it. The tragedy had struck both hard but Arcanine couldn't help but feel that his brother was being unnecessarily selfish in this regard. The real reason, of course was much simple. Blaze was the kind of pokemon who took pleasure in a more simplistic lifestyle and his carefree nature would not allow him to indulge in a mass killing of pokemon.

"Being controlled by your past will not take you far," Arcanine said, trying to reason with his brother. "I would greatly appreciate your contribution."

Blaze stared into his brother's eyes, pleading with all his might to be dismissed and not be burdened with this. Seeing no signs of defeat in his brother's eyes, he sighed.

"I apologize," He said, bowing. "I apologize for this. But I deny. In this case, I am useless to you. I too, like Reshiram, wish you luck. I shall not be accompanying you."

Excusing himself with another bow, he turned around and began to walk away. He had been half expecting his brother to use his authority as the king and command him into this. But Arcanine was not the one to enforce anything on his younger brother. Accepting his answer, the Frere King busied himself in preparations for the war.

* * *

 **That's it for now. I'll be back as soon as I can with the next chapter.**

 **Leave a review guys. And tell me what you think.**


	4. Ice Does Not Command Thunder

**Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon.**

 **And I apologize in advance for any spelling and grammar errors.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

 _Blue._

That was the first color her mind registered as she slowly opened her eyes. She blinked several times to adjust her blurry vision before sitting up, moaning softly as she brought a paw to head.

"Strange," she whispered to herself, shaking her head.

The sight of the bluish hue of her paw shook her senses awake. Baffled, she looked closely to confirm what she had just seen, shaking her paw in front of her face. Then the memories came rushing back to the Glaceon Princess and she sighed, closing her eyes momentarily before opening them again.

She remembered it all now. She had evolved into a Glaceon, the ice-type evolution of her species. The image of the malicious Glalie flashed in her mind, his teeth set in a devilish grin and brows in a permanent frown. She cringed at the sudden memory, feeling frightened and disgusted at the same time. A part of her felt guilty for having judged the pokemon on his appearance. Though his actions had spoken louder in terms of his true character, Sapphire could help but wonder what had become of the ice brute.

 _Brother._

His soothing voice rang in her ears and she instantly felt relieved. While her fight with the Glalie remained the most vivid part of her memory, she vaguely remembered her brother jumping in to protect her. She had no memory whatsoever of seeing him fight or whether or not had he been assisted by someone from the arena. Her only memory of Volt was seeing him for the few brief seconds she was conscious, his tail to her and golden fur flashing brilliantly with rage. The next thing she had remembered was him gently nudging her awake, his voice soft and full of concern. He had personally escorted her back to her room, refusing to let anyone near her. He had even snapped at the Heliolisk who offered to escort her for him, an unneeded precautionary gesture but justified all the same.

Sighing, Princess Sapphire pushed back her covers and jumped off her bed. She then began her short journey to her dressing table. Strangely, her body began to weigh down on her with each step, making it painful for the Glaceon Princess to walk. _I have to see for myself._ She thought, dismissing this as lack of sleep. She pushed herself to walk all the way up the dressing table where she stood before the mirror and saw a hideous figure stare right back at her. Her eyes widened at the sight of her disheveled fur, a shade of brilliant blue and teal but not at all fit to be seen.

The fur appeared to be frozen stiff, its pointy edges gleaming from the moonlight pouring in through her window. It made her look twice her usual size and came across as fierce rather than the graceful and elegant look she had originally imagined. Her creamy brown tail had also thinned out and now appeared more slender with a tip sharp enough to slit a throat.

 _Oh this simply won't do!_ She thought, panicking as she immediately reached out for the brush. She ran it through her fur and came to realize how stiff her fur had become. The brush just simply won't pass through. Dropping the hair tool, she reached out with her paw over her back and felt the sharp prickle of the frozen bits she would now have to pass for her own fur.

 _Oh my! I simply cannot present myself to Father like this!_ She thought, alarmed. _How do I groom this? There must be something!_

Her Father. Yes. King Ampahros. Her evolution was not something to be kept from the king. Sapphire remembered that clearly. After Volt had escorted her to her room, he had called on to the healers to tend to her wounds and to ensure she would get enough rest before her next meeting with their father. Volt had appeared to be particularly anxious about that and Sapphire could not comprehend why. Her Father would surely be delighted with this news. If anything, this was supposed to be a cause for celebration. Sapphire knew the news about her evolution must have reached the King's ears by now so her presenting herself would come as no surprise to him. Still, she was obligated to do so. She did not remember much after that other than passing out from pain and the soft voice of her brother coaxing her into sleep. Now, here she was, trying to make sense of these new powers and how to deal with the changes that had come with it.

She could not tear her eyes away from the mirror. She was disgusted at the sight of herself. The evolutionary form was not turning out to be what she had always imagined and did not even remotely resemble the picture of the graceful arctic beast she had seen in the books in the library. The picture had said 'An Artist's Impression of a Glaceon' and perhaps that's all it was, an impression. _The artist must have envisioned her as his muse, finding beauty is something absolutely horrific._ She thought, infuriated.

Just then, she saw her quills begin to stretch out, their edges sharpening. Confused, she looked more closely, trying to see if they had indeed grown or was she hallucinating. Tilting her head sideways, she studied the structure closely and confirmed these changes to be true. It all began to fall into place. Her inner emotions triggered her powers to freeze her fur into sharp quills. It was a built-in defense mechanism that responded directly to what she was feeling. It was a trait she shared with her brother. While their elements were different, the ability to sharpen one's fur into quills was a trait common to both.

Realizing what needed to be done; Sapphire closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to free her mind from the thoughts whirling inside her mind. She had to calm down. She had to relax in order for her fur to soften from its present state and settle down. Taking a few more deep breaths, she dared to look into the mirror. To her delight, the sharp quills were gone and only her silky soft pelt remained. Overjoyed, she reached for her brush on the ground and quickly began to groom herself right down to her legs.

Once finished, she admired her new evolution in the mirror, a genuine smile forming on her muzzle. She was quite satisfied with the outcome. Once she had adjusted her looks, she realized she did look like the sketch after all. It was all a matter of channeling one's energy to achieve the desired goal. She wondered if Volt had faced similar difficulties in adjusting to his own evolutionary form, the Jolteon. She had been very young then and was not allowed in the company of her brother because her father had thought such trivial activities would hinder his progress. If he had, she had no knowledge of this. A sad smile replaced her earlier one as she recalled all these bitter memories. Perhaps, now that she had evolved, she could train under the watchful eye of her own brother and attempt to bridge the gap between them.

Her ear twitched at the sound of the door being opened behind her. She turned around instantly to see who it was and saw her brother cautiously walk in, his eyes on her bed. When he didn't find her sleeping form on her bed, Volt looked around and their eyes met. She saw his expressions soften as he hastily walked up to her and immediately began to nuzzle her affectionately.

"Oh Sapphire," He sighed. "I've been so worried about you."

Pulling away, he began to look down at her injuries, his eyes scanning over every scratch on her body.

"Does it hurt?" he said, looking into her eyes. "Do you feel strange?"

"I feel fine," she assured him, smiling at him. "You need not worry."

"How do I not?" Volt protested. "That fool had nearly done you in, Sapphire. Had I not arrived in time, I would have lost you."

He sighed, looking away, as if the very thought of watching her lying unconscious on the ground pained him.

"You were barely conscious, Sapphire," he informed her. "Your wounds were bleeding profusely and scared me half to death."

He stopped speaking and silence took over. Studying his face carefully, Sapphire could tell he had more to say but chose not to. With her brows frowning in worry, she cleared her throat in an attempt to get him to look back up at her.

"What became of the Glalie?" She questioned, trying to divert the topic away from herself.

"He got what he deserved!" Volt said, his tone harsher and more aggressive. "He was sent to the dungeon immediately and awaited trail. Only, I made sure he never got one. The verdict was given without any word of self-defense and he has been exiled from Blitz."

Sapphire gasped.

"I do not want a word of sympathy out of you, dear sister," Volt said warningly. "I know the more generous side of you well but no amount of begging can save one from treason."

She nodded obediently, her muzzle set in a tight line. It was no use speaking against something that had already been done without consulting her. Nothing could undo what the Glalie did, both in terms of her evolution and his punishment.

"Did you have any trouble adjusting to your evolution?" Volt asked her, his tone switching back to that of concern.

"I suppose a bit," she admitted. "But it is alright. I shall be able to get use to this new form and these new powers soon. I am rather confident of that."

He smiled at her again and patted her head.

"You look beautiful," he complimented her. "My sister shall be the prettiest lass this kingdom has ever seen."

Sapphire smiled briefly at the false words of praise. The Glaceon princess was still oblivious to her brother's scheme. She did not have the faintest of idea that her brother was the mastermind behind her evolution. How could she? Volt had planned out every last detail and had executed his plan most brilliantly.

"What of Father?" Sapphire brought up the subject. "Has he heard of it?"

"Sapphire," Volt answered. "You know nothing escapes our father's ear. Yes, he has been informed. I did so personally to make no provisions for rumor. I would prefer to keep your evolution from becoming the talk of the kingdom."

"Has Father asked of me?" Sapphire asked, looking up hopefully at her Jolteon brother.

"Indeed he has," Volt replied earnestly. "But you must understand that your recovery is the most important thing as of now. I would suggest you rest."

"I feel fine, brother," Sapphire insisted. "Father must be worried too. I need to see him. He needs to see me."

"The king is no rush," Volt told her. "You mustn't push yourself Sapphire. Your wounds have not sufficiently healed."

"I demand to be escorted to the King," Sapphire said stubbornly. "There is no reason for us to delay this any further."

Sighing in defeat, Volt looked down and shook his head.

"Very well then," he agreed. "I shall take you to him myself."

A broad smile formed on her muzzle as Sapphire nuzzled her brother and buried her nose into his golden fur. _She hasn't changed in the slightest._ Volt thought. _Still as carefree as the Eevee she was and still quite the gullible one._

"Shall we go?" Sapphire said, bringing him out of her thoughts.

"Yes, we shall."

Volt led the way to the throne room where their father would still be, attending to royal business. Sapphire fell in feet beside him and walked gingerly, feeling rather safe under the protection of her own brother. Volt was walking slowly, not to keep her from straining herself in order to keep up with his pace, but because his body was burning with anticipation of what would come next. His plan had been going smoothly and was now approaching its final stage. Whilst the other stages had been fairly easy and the outcomes had been concrete, this part was the rather unpredictable one and would determine whether he would succeed or fail. It all depended on their father's decision, the word of the King.

"Brother?" Sapphire whispered, trying to get his attention.

Prince Volt was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to pay attention to the Glaceon Princess. Her brows furrowed in worry as she tried to study his face, wondering what could be bothering her brother. _Perhaps he blames himself for what happened._ She thought, continuing to follow him.

"You have no reason to blame yourself," she said, trying to reassure him. "I know you would never willingly abandon me."

Volt walked down the giant staircase with his sister following, his face still impassive. His ignorance and silence began to worry her even more. Suddenly, Sapphire did not feel so confident about her situation. The air began to feel heavy and her instincts began to scream 'danger'. She began to regret not listening to Volt when he had advised her to rest. _A princess does not neglect her duties._ She scolded herself, trying to repress her feelings.

"We are here," Volt informed her as he stopped.

Sapphire stopped right beside him and looked up at the familiar door. She had walked through this door countless times and had spent much of her childhood in her father's company inside the very same room. Then why now of all days was her heart beating so fast at the sight of this door? It was still the same, pearly white with patterns engraved in gold (their national color) and the same Galvantula guarding it. Nothing had changed. Then why did it fill her with dread? It was because she had changed. The last time she had walked in, she had been an Eevee. Now she was a Glaceon.

The door was pushed open and the two walked in, their steps matching perfectly as they walked side by side. Her eyes shifted from left to right and she saw the familiar courtiers, all staring at her but none smiling. This further reinforced her earlier anxiety and she gulped in fear. The faint sound of whispering did nothing to help her situation and the glares were unwelcoming.

Volt and Sapphire stopped before the throne and bowed before their father, King Ampharos.

"Rise, my children," he said, his voice loud and clear.

The two stood up straight and looked at their father. He was blinking slowly and his face looked unamused. If Sapphire was astonished, she was doing a splendid job at concealing it. His eyes were cold and Sapphire found herself struggling to keep her posture. She smiled softly at her father, inwardly hoping her fur had not gotten out of sorts and she still looked presentable.

Prince Volt, understanding the meaning behind this impassive glare, excused himself and walked up the small flight of stairs to stand beside his father's throne. King Ampharos wanted to interrogate Sapphire and Sapphire alone and he had to comply.

"Sapphire," King Ampharos spoke, finally addressing her directly. "My dearest daughter, what has become of you?"

Sapphire's body tensed. This was not what she had been expecting. The voice that was once music to her ears now frightened her. She could feel neither compassion nor pity in his voice. It was loud and clear, but not half so pleasant to listen to.

"I-I have evolved, father," she stuttered. She had never stuttered before when conversing with her father.

"I see that," King Ampharos replied. "But tis a pity. You have evolved but not into what you should have."

Sapphire's legs began to shake. This combined with the light throbbing in her head and her heart beating painfully against her rib cage made her feel even more terrorized than before. She felt insignificant, unneeded, as if her very presence was repulsive and an insult to Zekrom's nation. Her father's words had cut deep and she could make no sense of it.

"I do not understand, Father," Sapphire asked, finding her courage. "It is not as if I chose this."

"I am aware," He growled, making her flinch. "But this is not what can be placed on the throne."

Rage. She could feel it. Her instincts had been right. Her presence disgusted him. The mere sight of the ice –type evolution was boiling his blood. Sapphire had never remembered her father being infuriated or if so, she was never the cause. She loved her father dearly and had been sure she was loved back the same if not more. The whole situation felt unnatural to the pampered Glaceon Princess. It was as if the whole world had turned against her.

"I do not understand, Your Majesty," Sapphire replied, speaking respectfully. "I have never desired to be on the throne."

Her words went unacknowledged by the King who appeared to be deep in thought. His eyes were fixed on her, blinking slowly as if he was looking through her soul.

"Is this what Zekrom meant?" Ampharos said, questioning himself. "Is this what he meant when he said you would be the cause of our destruction?"

"Destruction?" Sapphire murmured, shaking her head. "Whatever do you mean?"

A faint smile crept up on Volt's lips. The Jolteon Prince stood motionless, waiting for his father to pass the order. He could barely contain the electricity surging through his body, waiting to be unleashed on the victim.

"I simply cannot allow this!" Ampharos growled, slamming his fist on the arm of the throne.

Sapphire took a step back. Her lungs suddenly began to ache for more air. She was frightened to her core and her fur began to show it, much to Volt's delight. He was relishing every moment of her suffering.

"Sapphire," Ampharos said, finally addressed her again. "As a member of the Blitz royal family, it is taboo for you to have evolved into anything but a Jolteon. I simply cannot allow your kind to lead the nation of the electric pokemon."

"I fail to comprehend," Sapphire spoke in her defense. "I though-"

"SILENCE!" Ampharos roared. "I need not hear your excuse. The tragedy has passed. But this is most unacceptable. I hereby denounce you as my daughter!"

Color drained from her cheeks and she crumbled to the floor in disbelief. Her father, her loving father, who had raised her up from an egg and showered her with nothing but affection and care had now abandoned her. Her eyes widened in fear and she gasped for more air, her whole body shaking with fear.

"Father," Sapphire managed to utter, tears rolling down her cheek. "Come to your senses, Father! What are you saying? You cannot do this!"

"You are now exiled!" Ampharos said, tearing his eyes away from her pledging ones. "You are never to return to Blitz again."

 _This has to be dream!_ Sapphire thought, refusing to accept the reality before her.

"Volt, brother," Sapphire mumbled desperately, turning to the Jolteon Prince. "Brother, please! Say something."

Volt stepped down the small flight of stairs and walked up to the Glaceon Princess. Sapphire's heart dared to hope that she could be saved. Volt saw the spark of hope in her beady eyes and smirked. He stopped close to her, his body inches away and muzzle close to her ears.

"You truly are a pathetic one," he whispered in a sinister voice. "You trust in the wrong one, dear sister."

Sapphire took a step back and looked up at him, eyes wide in disbelief. Seeing the spark of hope die in her eyes was the most satisfying of all.

"Brother," Sapphire mumbled, her voice shaking. "How could you?"

He did not feel the need to answer her silly question. She had lost her crown and had no need to put her nose in royal affairs anymore. As such, she was inferior to him now and deserved no explanations.

"Dispose of her, Volt," Ampharos ordered his son.

Volt licked his lips. Sapphire heard a crackle of electricity. Then she saw electricity dancing dangerously on her brother's golden fur. When she looked into his eyes, she saw something familiar. She had no trouble placing it. It was the same look Glalie had given her.

She desperately began to look around for help but soon discovered that no one in this court would dare to assist her for the fear of being charged for treason and helping a fugitive.

Having no choice, she turned and made a run for the door.

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 **So next chapter is going to introduce a new character. For all those who are waiting for Skull to make his entrance, just hold on a little longer. it's way better than before.**

 **I'd love to hear from you guys. see ya soon!**


	5. Thorns In Our Gardens

**I don't even know if it's worth giving excuses anymore. My school life is getting more hectic (I had 12 essays in 2 weeks over a 1000 word each, handwritten) and my Extra Curricular more busy than ever. Life you ask? Good. And if you don't, let's move on.**

 **So I'm SUPER LATE with this chapter but it wouldn't be fair to those of you who still take the time out to read. So yeah, here it is.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon.**

 **And I apologize in advance for any spelling and Grammar error.**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

 _I have to escape._

Her heart was pounding hard against her chest and her ears were ringing with the sudden rush of blood. Sweat trickled down her cheeks as she panted for breath, her legs constantly in motion.

Sapphire the Glaceon Princess was on the run from the place she could no longer call home. The feelings of betrayal and denial had consumed her entire being. Yet, her will to live prevailed over all, serving as the motivation she badly needed to escape her persecutors.

Her persecutors were none other than a pack of six Luxray, the castle's elite guards, led by Prince Volt; her brother by blood and enemy by choice. It saddened her to her core to think her brother was the one to blame for her present state. The brother she had immensely respected and loved was now in pursuit of her, hungry for blood. She had wanted nothing more than to serve him once he ascended the throne. But little had she known about the flames of hatred that resided in his heart and mind. He had been biding his time all along, plotting against her for the chance to rule in her place, something she had no desire for.

Pain flared up under her belly and began to penetrate her whole body, slowing her down significantly. She could hear the sounds of the feet following her, their barks screaming danger. Her breathing grew harder as she forced herself to keep running, the pain testing the limits of her endurance. She was now out of the castle and had crossed the palace gardens. However, leaving the palace grounds did not mark the end of her suffering nor her chase. She had lost her crown and had been exiled. In light of this new status imposed upon her, she would have to leave the Blitz territory. The Luxray and her brother had been sent to make sure of that.

Her mind was preoccupied with bitter memories of her life in the castle as she continued to run. The words of her father had cut deep into her soul, serving as emotional pain to her physical one. She replayed the scene over and over again in her mind, her heart clenching with the images that flashed in her mind. She did not have the slightest of idea of what was going to become of her now that her father had revoked her status as the princess and disowned her as his daughter. She found herself wondering what she was even fighting for. Running was futile and would serve her no purpose. It would not bring back what had been snatched away from her by her very own family nor would it fix the trust that had been shattered.

A bolt of electricity struck at her heels, jolting her senses awake and bringing her back to reality. Her fur quickly responded to the threat posed and sharpened into dangerous quills. Sapphire did not wish to fight back. Not even in her worst nightmares had she ever considered her brother to be her opponent. Despite his treachery and the obvious hate he harbored for her, she could not bring herself to inflict pain on him. Choosing her only other option, Sapphire continued to dash like a mad pokemon, away from her persecutors and away from home.

Multiple thunderbolts were fired at her from behind, making Sapphire gasp as she nearly stumbled. Her legs were aching with pain and begging for her to stop. She was not used to running and she had hardly recovered from the injuries she had sustained from her fight with Glalie. She was at a severe disadvantage in terms of strength. She began to run in a zigzag pattern in an attempt to dodge the attacks being fired at her, praying to her lucky stars to end her suffering.

She now ran along a dirt path and through the streets of the city, her eyes wild with fear and fur standing on its ends in a defensive stance. Her eyes darted from left to right as she passed the pokemon in the city, their faces set in a bewildered look. The collective gasps and the uninvited glares thrown at the princess made her squeeze her eyes shut in agony, making her feel more miserable than before. She was aware that none of these pokemon recognized her in her new form and even if they did so, they stood no chance at offering her safety. She felt utterly helpless, like a damsel in distress with no hero. She desperately wanted to be out of their judgmental sights. Her feet began to pick up speed as she ran down the unfamiliar road, passing an unfamiliar crowd and out into the unfamiliar world.

Prince Volt dashed past these very same citizens in a blur of golden and yellow, adding to their confusion. Volt's eyes were blazing with fury, his nose chasing the familiar scent of his now exiled sister who was on the run from him. His sense of smell was particularly sharp and though he had not spent sufficient time in the company of his sister to be fully acquainted with it, the smell was fairly new and easy to distinguish from the familiar scents of the city and its residents.

Soon enough, chaos ensued and the whole town began to roar with gossip and rumors. The word spread like a wildfire from one mouth to another about the sighting of a fleeing Glaceon and his Highness Volt leading the chase, accompanied by the royal guards. The pokemon were quick to jump to conclusions about the identity of the Glaceon, writing her off as a treasonous maiden who had deceived the king and deserved to be hanged.

With the word out, the situation worsened for the fleeing princess. As she ran through the streets, multiple attacks were fired at her from all sides, starling her and adding to her apprehension. A water gun nearly hit her square in the back and she dodged with inches to spare only to be struck hard by an electric ball used by a Pulse. She stumbled forward and fell down, her teeth rattling from the blow and the pain in her belly flaring up again. She struggled to push herself back up on her feet and stumbled forward, her head spinning and legs aching for a break. For a moment, she considered death as an easier option and made no attempts to run. She limped forward in excruciating pain, her vision blurring and senses fading. _What reason do I have to hold on to life?_ She thought, dragging herself forward. _There is no salvation for me. And nothing awaits me beyond the boundaries of Blitz. I have been condemned to a life of solitude and am doomed to die. What reason do I have?_

She did not know whether it was her own instincts kicking in or the loud roar of her brother that rang in her ears. She felt a strange surge of energy coursing through her veins and her legs began to feel stronger. Her pain began to dim out, now replaced by the rush of adrenaline and a newly revived will. Perhaps her lucky stars had heard her prayers. Her breathing quickened as she heaved her body back up on her legs and began to run again. Using quick attack, she dashed forward in a blur of teal blue, running faster than she had ever before while her pursuers continued to chase after her.

She squeezed her eyes shut once more in an attempt to repress all the feelings that contradicted her newly found strength and courage, running wildly once more and kicking sand at her heels. The faster she ran, the less she could see. But soon enough, she began to notice the number of settlements thinning out, her blurry vision now constituting of occasional trees and a rocky path below. Slowing down, she dared to look around to her left and right, taking in the new sights and feeling the cool breeze against her cold cheeks. Her ears twitched as she listened hard for the Luxray's barking and own brother's growl. Nothing. It was all silent accept the howling of the night wind and the occasional hoot of a Noctowl.

She skidded to a halt and panted for air, collapsing immediately into the sandy ground below. Her legs began to ache again as her strength abandoned her once again, reminding her how fragile she just was. Her breathing was heavily labored and her lips were parched. How she wished she was back home in Blitz where her servants would prepare a hot bath for her and massage her muscles till she fell asleep in her comfy bed. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at the sky above. It was a cloudless night with stars dominating the sky and a full moon.

"Look's lovely,"She whispered, a thought completely irrelevant.

The princess was simply relieved that her brother had given up chase and returned to the kingdom. She had been half expecting him to kill her. The murderous look in his eyes had certainly reinforced this absurd belief. Now that she thought about it, it was absurd to think it was absurd. Volt would have slaughtered her in the streets of the city had she not found the strength to push on. Now, here she laid on the desert sand, far from home but feeling safer than she did inside the protective walls of the Blitz castle.

Despite all this, Sapphire's sufferings were far from being over.

 **In Florasia Kingdom:**

Florasia Kingdom, home to the grass type pokemon, was possibly one of the most well known kingdoms in the land.

Largely famous for its exquisite flowers and foliage, Florasia kingdom had long been revered as the "Home of the Flora". The Kingdom was rich in all types of flowers of every color imaginable, its vegetation spreading out far over the land, giving it a vibrant and exotic feel. The aroma of the flowers that dominated the city made the place almost heavenly. When it came to beauty, Florasia had no rivals. Apart from this, Florasia kingdom was widely known for its cultivation of fruits. The residents of this kingdom were expert gardeners, their element allowing them to provide the special nutrition and nourishment needed to yield the best crop possible. A kingdom blessed with scenic beauty with all elements of nature in perfect harmony, Florasia kingdom was truly a magnificent sight to behold.

Its castle was built in the centre of the city, well fortified and four towers overlooking the entire Florasian territory. The castle, with its red bricked walls, appeared to be one with nature with vines growing up around its structure and Gracidea flowers dotting the framework of the Royal House. The castle roof was sealed and a gigantic tree sprang out from above, its branches spreading out for miles and roots swirling down the towers and hanging off the sides of the castle walls. This tree was considered Sacred by the people of Florasia and the royal family was the guardian of this tree. The members of the royal family themselves would personally see to its care and this task was handed down to the successors of the throne.

Its current monarch, Queen Eleanor, was a much beloved ruler of her people. A brave and strong-willed Leafeon, Eleanor had proven herself worthy of the throne when she had seized control after her parents passed away. Killed in a battle against the Darkus Kingdom, the news of their demise had spread over the kingdom like a plague, sending their kingdom into utter chaos as the control of the royal family weakened. Prior to Queen Eleanor, Florasia had never been ruled by a female monarch and therefore, the sudden death of the king and queen without a male heir had led to doubts and disagreements. Rumors about their nation being cursed by Virizion, their legendary pokemon, had further added to this commotion.

Eleanor had been raised to be strong and courageous by her father. And despite the opposition she faced by her fellow courtiers, Eleanor took the crown and led the kingdom, proving the nation wrong and establishing her might over the entire kingdom. She eventually won over the hearts of her people and the trust of her courtiers, their services strengthening her control over Florasia. The blessing by Virizion reinforced their confidence in her as a ruler and Eleanor had had little difficulty since.

Presently, the Queen stood before the Sacred Tree, her eyes close and her leafy tail and ears swaying to the gentle breeze of the night. She appeared to be in meditation, her lips humming something soft and mysterious. To an observer, it would appear the Queen was conversing with the tree when in fact; she was conversing with nature itself. She, like all members of the family, had been blessed with a special power to freely communicate with plant-life. It was a rather unique trait, shared only by the royal blood. Initially, she had found this to be quite useless. The ability did nothing to enhance her fighting skills or boost her powers and was absolutely useless in terms of war craft. However, with time, she discovered that the true function of this was to allow her to achieve inner peace.

"Your Majesty," the sound of her royal advisor made her open her eyes.

"Speak," she ordered in a stern voice, her head still facing the tree.

She could feel the Grovyle kneeling behind her. She had no need to turn around and look.

"If I may ask," he began. "What is it that is bothering My Lady?"

Eleanor sighed, closing her eyes briefly before opening them again. She looked up and saw the stars adorning the night sky with a full moon clearly visible. It looked beautiful.

"You need not worry about me," she reassured her worrisome Royal advisor. "I was just thinking."

"Is this about Prince Skull?" Grovyle further questioned. "Why must you give him so much of your time?"

The very mention of his name made her clench her teeth. Prince Skull, the Umbreon Prince of the Darkus Kingdom, was a feared conqueror of the west. His Army was revered as one the mightiest in the land and his kingdom was one of the strongest to exist. But of course, all of this did not matter to the Queen of Florasia. What infuriated her was the fact that the Umbreon Prince had sworn his vengeance on her nation and had his heart set out to conquer her kingdom. Should she let her kingdom fall into his blackened paws, she knew it would mark the end of the Florasia Kingdom. He would set about his evil deeds and systematically destroy everything her ancestors had worked hard to build. In her mind, he was nothing more than the pawn of quite possibly the most evil creation of all.

Eleanor was well aware of his motivation. His hatred for the deeds of her predecessors and heart consumed in darkness was what drove him on. Although she was a fierce opponent and had shown much courage in defending her kingdom, she secretly doubted if she could ever defeat him.

"This is not about time," Eleanor insisted, containing her fury. "I simply believe that he is in dire need of help. He needs to learn to put his past behind."

"How does one like him hope to achieve that?" Grovyle asked again, blinking.

"By hoping itself," Eleanor answered. "Hate can only breed more hate. Someone needs to free him from his darkness."

"One cannot hope to achieve that," Grovyle debated. "Not when they are a slave of darkness itself. This form would not allow it, nor his nation and heritage."

"Then we must defend the kingdom." Eleanor said in a dangerous tone. "I am not having any of his nonsense about surrender."

"As expected, My Lady," Grovyle bowed.

"Leave me be," She ordered. "I need to be alone to hear their whispers."

"Very well, Your Majesty," Grovyle said, bowing once more.

With that, he swiftly turned around and left, disappearing behind the gateway to the roof. Eleanor went back to her meditation. With a heavy sigh, she closed her eyes and channeled her energy, listening close to the voices of those who otherwise go unheard.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **I'll see ya...well when I see ya. No promises this time.**


	6. A Fateful Encounter

**I'm just gonna upload this today because I will be busy for the rest of the week.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not pokemon.**

 **I apologize in advance for any grammar and spelling mistakes. In my defense, I did upload this first thing in the morning.**

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

It all looked the same.

The barren lands of the desert that separated Blitz Kingdom from the rest of the world was proving to be the biggest challenge Princess Sapphire had ever faced. The wastelands appear to stretch out as far as her eyes could see. The scorching heat of the desert was the least of her worries. Her fur was unusually cold and she could withstand this climate just as effortlessly as if she had been home. She had her hunger to blame for her weakened state. Princess Sapphire had been walking on an empty stomach since dawn. She could not remember the last time she had had a meal. Starving was not something the Blitz princess was accustomed to. This was a dangerous world she had found herself in and nothing from her royal life had prepared her for such an adversity.

She was almost convinced that she was going to die of hunger. Perhaps that's what her brother had in mind for her when he and the royal guards abandoned the chase. Or perhaps they only meant to drive her out of the Blitz territory and then let her fend for herself. That would certainly kill an unarmed pokemon with no previous experience in battling and no provision of food and water. Although she was grateful for having escaped death at their hands, Sapphire could not afford to relax until she had found some shelter. The desert was a merciless place for a princess and it would take her life if she refused to fight it.

The Glaceon princess stopped and looked around. The scenery hadn't changed. The desert was largely the same; one barren wasteland stretching out with occasional rocks and the scarce, inedible desert vegetation. She continued to walk, one step after the other, wondering if there was ever going to be an end to this test. She was not an expert on navigation like her brother and therefore, had no knowledge of what lay ahead. All she knew was that she somehow had to cross the desert and north seemed to be the only way to go.

 _Where are the desert tribes?_ She wondered, continuing her painful journey. Sapphire had read about the different tribes of pokemon that resided in this desert. The tribes were said to be mostly sandslash and trapinch but larger pokemon such as Dophan and Rhydon were also believed to exist. Savage by the definition of many, the princess had initially thought this to be nothing more than a rumor, a story fabricated by the townspeople to scare their children into sleep. That, of course, had changed when her handmaidens told stories of their husbands who encountered such pokemon on their march back from battles. The stories varied from kind and hospitable tribes who came to the aid of the injured to the vicious and hostile ones who accused them of invading and attacked any pokemon that stepped foot in their territory.

A tale or not, now she wished they were real. She was almost praying they were, if Zekrom was even listening anymore. She hadn't seen a single pokemon for miles, the only sounds being the ones of her own feet slogging against the hot desert sand. She half expected a Dugtrio to pop out from the ground below. A sight that would frighten most, it was a sight the Glaceon would have welcomed wholeheartedly. She imagined how he would be accompanied by a band of Diglett, all of whom would stare at her in awe of her unique evolution. Surely she must be the first Glaceon so far out from the mountains. Then they would escort her back to their encampment where they would offer her all the food and drink she needed and tend to the injuries she had sustained from her chase.

While her mindless daydreams were keeping her brain occupied, it did not help her deteriorating strength and dying spirits. Each step after the other was becoming increasingly painful. Her breathing, too, was heavily labored as she forced herself to push on. She wanted to live, that was certain. But she did not know why. With all said and done, dying would have been an easier choice. For whatever sin she had committed, it was not going to be a quick one. It seem to be coming slowly, sapping the strength from her body and heart alike until her own weight began to sink down on her limbs. She fell heavily on the ground, her lungs aching for every precious breath. She raised her head ever so slightly, forcing her heavy eyelids to open for one last look before her senses faded. Through teary eyes and a blurred vision, she saw something blue. It was vague, barely visible and Sapphire couldn't tell if she was hallucinating. Perhaps she had already passed out and this was a dream. She blinked once, twice, wondering if it was real or her own little mind playing tricks. It appeared to be a good distance away but real all the same. Dream or not, Sapphire knew the only path to her survival was forward. One steady step after another, the Glaceon was off once again.

 **Somewhere in the desert:-**

"Your Highness, shall I fetch you a ride?"

The Absol asked respectfully, walking beside the King he served. The black furred pokemon didn't spare him so much as a glance as he retorted: "I will march."

The Absol, albeit worried about his prince's health, accepted the answer and chose not to speak further. Being the royal advisor to the ruler of the dark type, he had come to accept this nature of his ruler a long time ago.

Despite his young age, Prince Skull was a strong one, in body and mind. He preferred to march like an ordinary soldier rather than riding on the back of a much larger pokemon. He believed it served as motivation to those who followed him into battle, seeing their ruler on par with them, creating no boundaries of discrimination between the royalty and the common folk. Many believed the young prince had their legendary to thank for his strength and unwavering courage and that they were blessed to be ruled by someone who struck fear into the hearts of their enemies and answered injustice with justice.

Absol, however, knew the dark nature of the prince. The pokemon had served his parents before the young prince ascended the throne after their passing. It had all happened so fast and Skull was crowned within a fortnight on the command of their legendary. The events that had followed were what Absol had dubbed 'unspeakable' and many pokemon of the Darkus Kingdom were not made aware of them. One thing was certain: Skull was never the same again.

The memory of what Absol had witnessed was the stuff of his nightmares for many nights that followed. Skull was merely a child back then but not one so young to not remember. Being unable to help, Absol could only wonder how scarred the poor child was and had almost been convinced this would be the downfall of their nation. Seeing him now, a strong leader who sparked loyalty in his men, Absol could not help but feel proud of the young prince and his success as a ruler.

Although best known for his mercy and benevolence to his own people, Skull was just as fierce on the battlefield, sparing no one who declared himself his enemy. His kingdom was one of the three most powerful ones in all the land. A conquering kingdom by status, Darkus was well known and feared by those who could barely outnumber its armies, much less defeat it. Skull himself, however, was not interested in expanding his territories. A strong devotee of his legendary, he simply carried out every one of his orders without question. He personally led his army into every battle, fighting out in the open rather than commanding from the shadows as many cowardly rulers did. Absol had argued once how it was dangerous for him to march out into the field but Skull had declined his offer to stay behind on the grounds that he did not wish to let others fight his wars for him but rather alongside him.

None of this earned him any favors from the legendary he so obediently served but Skull had long since forgotten to expect anything for his endeavors. His life had been empty since the day he was crowned and all that he loved was lost in the span of one night. Florasia kingdom was to blame. Skull was not oblivious to this. He was just an Eevee when he had been told, the very night it happened. His parents had been slaughtered on the battlefield by the former King of Florasia kingdom, father to the present one. Although he died shortly after in the same battle, it was no satisfaction to the young Eevee who had been promised their safe return. An entire kingdom and all the power he had been granted could not fill the hole they left behind. The thought of his parents lying cold on a battlefield with their throats slit to the bone and blood staining the ground enraged him to his core and nothing could douse the flames of this fury. There had been a time when he had thought he might regain what he lost that night. That too, however, was snatched away by the legendary he so loved to serve. And knowing his duty lied with his Kingdom, Skull had accepted that too.

Presently, Prince Skull was marching back from a battle. His army, largely consisting of Liepard, Houndoom and Weavile, were following along behind their leader. Absol marched alongside the Prince, as was his place in all battles. His mind was too preoccupied with the events of his recently fought battle for him to pay attention to his surroundings. His head was clouded with frustration with a hint of annoyance and regret. Florasia Kingdom has fled the battle scene and with it, their Queen. The battle itself hadn't been a pleasant one; a notion he was quite used to at this stage. The grass-type kingdom nearly rivaled his in terms of defense and knew how to fend off those who wanted to invade their lands. The grass-type pokemon were often regarded as the first settlers and their kingdom was the oldest in existence. Hence, it was historically famous where kingdoms were considered and many wished to conquer it. Its pokemon had defended it for thousands of years and Skull knew they would continue to do for thousands to come. But it wasn't the kingdom he wanted. It was her screams; the blood of the one who slaughtered his parents.

Looking ahead now, Skull could see Lake Aquanesia very clearly, its crystal clear water reflecting the sun overhead. Aquanesia had a history that had fascinated him since he was a child. It was a huge lake, in the middle of a desert, hiding a million secrets beneath its blue. One such secret was the existence of an entire kingdom, hidden within the crevices underwater with its crystal walls and underwater vegetation he was not familiar with. Skull had never met the pokemon of Aquanesia, nor had he ever been commanded to lead a battle against the nation. Now, standing close to their domain, Skull quickly scanned the surface for any water pokemon that might be spying on the army.

"Hold up the white banners," He commanded Absol who nodded and passed on the order.

Skull did not spot any pokemon in the lake as far as he could see, its blue surface unbroken. Still, he was not one to take the risk. His army had just returned from a battle and simply could not afford a second one so soon after their first. He was not in search of trouble with the pokemon he had never seen. Furthermore, a surprise attack from an enemy they had never faced in a battlefield before was not something he fancied and casualties were guaranteed in such a case, more so in his share then theirs. Additionally, fighting from the waters would give the Aquanesia pokemon a serious field advantage, one that would make defeat inevitable.

"We shall rest here," Skull commanded Absol. "Get the word out. We depart at dusk."

"Right away, Your Highness," Absol said, bowing his head before heading off to dispatch the instructions.

Skull stood before the lake, breathing in the unfamiliar scent of the lake water, his ears pricked for any sounds. The only sounds he could hear were those of his own men talking as they stepped about for a drink from the lake. He could hear them grunting and growling about the injured they had to carry back, boasting about their fights within the battle itself and the gruesome deaths they had witnessed. Their voices rang in his ears, provoking his temper. Prince Skull had a sharp ear and preferred silence over chatter. Company brought him no delight and solitude was his friend. Soon enough, his lonesome instincts kicked in and he found himself walking away from the encampment and round the banks of the lake.

The further he walked away, the more the sounds died out. He continued walking, one black paw after the other until the voices were nothing more than a whisper. He could still see them when he turned to look. His army was too large to not be visible over the distance he had covered. Being away from the noise relieved him in ways only he could understand. He did not stop walking once his men were out of earshot. He found himself walking further, his eyes fixed on the water as if they were trying to pierce through its crystal blue and unravel the mysteries it veiled. There was a strange aura about this place, tingling his nerves and invoking his instincts. The place looked fairly safe but equally dangerous. Skull thought this must be the work of Palkia, the deity Aquanesia was said to worship. He briefly wondered what it would be like to fall into the water and how deep the lake must be. The books had defined it as 'bottomless' but surely that couldn't be true. The kingdom was also rumored to be a strange one. The books had spoken of how land dwelling pokemon could breathe within the walls of the kingdom of Aquanesia, an illustration of Palkia's power. Thinking about it now, Skull wondered if he'd ever get to see it for himself.

He jerked up his head from the lake and looked about the desert area, his eyes searching for any signs of life. There were none. It was mostly the desert he had to cross to get back home. Turning his head slowly back to the lake, he saw a flash of blue behind the rocks on the bank, a color that clearly stood out from the usual desert brown. His ears pricked up instinctively at the sight if this outlandish hue and his rings began to glow a deathly golden. His eyes were fixed on the rocks now, unblinking. A pokemon, he was sure of it. His nose was twitching with the smell of a species he did not recognize. He expected his newfound foe to move, to run, to attack but his object remained stationary.

Still suspicious, Skull began to walk towards this creature, his paws soundless against the ground beneath. Quick with his movements, he closed in on the rocks, satisfied that the pokemon had made no movements during this time, confirming how discreet he really was and the pokemon was unaware altogether. With a single leap, he jumped over the rock and quickly turned to face his enemy, his body in a battle stance and brows furrowed. As soon as he laid eyes on her, his expression softened from an angry glare to a confused look. There, before him, was a pokemon with disheveled fur of brilliant blue and teal lying sprawled on the ground. It was her tail that he had seen earlier, a darker shade to contrast her relatively lighter fur. With his ears laid back, he cautiously treaded towards her with his eyes studying her features carefully. A Glaceon. He was sure of it now. He had studied about this being one of the evolutionary forms he could acquire as an Eevee. Curiosity began to bubble inside of him, bringing a hundred questions along with it.

 _She's still alive._ Skull thought, observing the gentle rising and falling of her chest. He found himself moving a lot closer to her then he initially intended, his eyes now fixed on her innocent, sleeping face. He leaned, his own muzzle now very close to hers and felt her soft icy breaths against his cheeks. His eyes caught sight of something strange on her cheek and he extended his paw to feel over the tiny lumps. He could not help but gasp a little as the realization dawn on him that these were her own tears, frozen on her cheeks. She had been crying before she passed out.

"My Lady," Skull spoke softly as he placed his paw under her chin. "Can you hear me?"

Why he had assumed she was nobility was something beyond him. She certainly didn't look like she was of noble blood. However, there was something eccentric about her uncommon features and he found himself believing that she was no ordinary pokemon. The Glaceon remained motionless, the only movements being her own breathing. Skull began to inspect her more carefully and saw many injuries across the body, cuts and wounds that were clearly fresh and had not been tended to. This only gave birth to more questions and he wondered what this poor Glaceon had been through.

Without wasting another moment, Skull began to howl as loudly as he could, sending out the signal to his most trusted friend to come to his aid. Upon hearing the howl, Absol rushed from the camp and ran straight for where the voice was guiding him, his legs quickly covering the ground to reach his prince.

"You called, Your Highness?" Absol asked as soon as the prince was in sight, breathing heavily.

When he saw the unconscious Glaceon close to his prince, his eyes immediately widened in fear. His first thought was that this pokemon had tried to harm Skull and he had knocked her out cold.

"Did she attack!?" He asked quickly, his voice full of concern and haste. "I'll send for the guards! I shall have her imprisoned for this! I-"

Absol stopped as soon as he saw his prince gently caressing the cheek of the sleeping maiden. An act that took Absol by surprise, his jaw dropped as he witnessed his prince take her paw gently into his.

"She is fairly harmless, Absol," Skull informed his advisor, unable to tear his eyes away from the Glaceon. "We must help her."

"Your Highness," Absol argued. "I don't think-"

"I need you to help me take her back to the camps. We simply cannot leave her here. She'll die."

* * *

 **I hope you guys like this edited version of their meeting better.**

 **I'll see ya guys with the next chapter soon.**


	7. Running Away

**Chapter 7**

 **In Frere Kingdom:-**

Blaze angrily entered his room, slamming the wooden door behind him.

Once inside the safety of its four walls, he began to pace the room back and forth, his teeth gritted in an effort to muffle the scream forming down his throat. His fur was burning from the flames inside him, a sign of how infuriated he really was with himself. Apart from anger, guilt seemed to be his second companion. The thoughts of what happened and what could have happened flooded his mind, making his head ache and further fueling his desire to scream.

 _Why does he not understand?_ Blaze thought to himself, his pace quickening as he walked from one end of the room to another. It was a strange thing how royalty would choose to act when not given what they wanted to hear. Right now, all the Flame Prince wanted to hear was that his brother would not be fighting in the battle. Sadly, this was not to be.

"Your Highness," Fennekin addressed him, closing the door behind her as she came in, uninvited.

"Leave me be, Fennekin," Blaze growled at her before she could utter another word. "This really is not the best of times."

"I am not here on your brother's command, Your Highness," Fennekin replied. "I come at my own will."

Sighing, he hung his head down and continued his pacing, his brows furrowed in annoyance and ears laid back. Watching her prince, her closest friend, in this state of distress worried the little Fennekin. She followed him with her eyes as he walked aimlessly around his room, wondering what she could say to comfort him. Truth would be bitter and quite possibly not the safest course of action. However, she was determined to at least try.

"That could have gone differently," she began. "All he asked was for your support."

She immediately regretted what she said as soon as the words escaped her muzzle. By no means had she intended to come across as someone who defended the King's word. This was bound to provoke the fury he'd been containing inside. She expected Blaze to lash out at her and display the hot-tempered nature the Fire pokemon were often known for.

"Do you not think I know that?" Blaze said sadly, the tone of his voice surprising her. He looked into her eyes. "He is my brother! I love him! But I don't fight to kill! And I don't see why he has to march out to battle! I want him to live."

"No King ever lived who didn't protect the ones he loved," Fennekin answered softly. "And the ones he loves are within the walls of this kingdom. He must."

Blaze sighed heavily, tearing his eyes away to hide the tears forming in his eyes. He began pacing again. As much as he liked to deny it, Fennekin was right. His heart was simply not accepting the truth. His brother, the King, had been charged with the duty to protect the kingdom and therefore, he had little in choice. Blaze, in contrast, did. As the King's brother, he could only be expected to support but was, by no means, bound by duty which is why he was free to pursue the more carefree lifestyle he was accustomed to while sharing blood with the ruler.

However, Blaze did not particularly have fond memories when the subject of war was put into question. He had lost his parents to it. Arcanine had led the Frere army into battles in the past, but never had he ever asked Blaze to accompany him. He always came back alive, much to the relief of his brother. Although Blaze had confidence in Arcanine's ability as the leader, a good deal of it was shadowed by bad memories.

"I have to leave," Blaze spoke suddenly, making Fennekin jump.

"Your Highness!" she gasped. "I don't understand!"

"I said I have to leave!" Blaze repeated, this time his voice ringing with anger but shaking with hesitation.

"Blaze," Fennekin said, addressing her friend by his name now. "Don't."

"I simply cannot wait here and pray for his safe return! I have to get out of the castle!"

 **In blitz Kingdom:**

It was night time and the moon and stars had already dominated the sky. The courtroom was filled with warriors who had served Blitz in many battles, a service that had earned them the pleasure to be in Zekrom's company this very night. Menetrics, Raichu, Luxray and Electrivire, all stood in their respective files, heads held high and eyes where the legendary would appear.

Volt entered the throne room where the ceremony was going to commence, followed by Pachirisu. The Jolteon Prince was in a surprisingly good mood. Having accomplished his goal of stripping Sapphire off her title, Volt was absolutely sure Zekrom would declare him the heir to Blitz Kingdom. This was one Ceremony of the Ancients he was quite eager to attend. His father never invited him to attend many but today, he was the honorary guest.

Volt walked swiftly across the throne room and took his place beside his father, King Ampharos. Pachirisu, not being as privileged as the royalty in the eyes of Zekrom, took his place behind the two pokemon. With everyone in position and all preparations done, the pokemon were ready for Zekrom's arrival. On cue, Ampharos and Volt knelt simultaneously, hanging their heads low and casting their eyes down unto the ground.

A loud cackle of lightening was heard from outside. A blue thunderbolt was barely visible between the dark black clouds that hung over the kingdom now. Blue lightning began to flash across the sky, its thunderous sound echoing. Inside the throne room, a floating white light could be seen, blue electricity crackling dangerously over its edges. The ball of light began to spin faster, growing larger as the sounds of lightning became louder. The ball finally burst into a thousand lightning bolts and Zekrom emerged from within it, roaring loudly to make his presence known.

"Rise Ampharos and Volt and the little nitwit!" he grumbled and they all stood up. Pachirisu was fuming for being called a nitwit for the hundredth time but managed to keep his anger hidden in case he offended the legendary pokemon.

"I see that little Eevee of yours failed to show up!" Zekrom growled, lowering his neck and gazing down at the three small pokemon, his blood red eyes glowing. He was breathing heavily, almost as if he was holding himself from tearing the place apart with his giant claws. His black body was as dark as the night sky, contrasted only by the mysterious electric blue glow.

"She evolved into an Ice type," Ampharos said, bowing his head low. "It was exactly how you foretold years ago."

Zekrom gave a soft growl, his eyes blinking slowly as he took in what his subjects reported. The sudden change in the air made the fact known that Zekrom was surprised to hear this. He had revealed how his daughter had a destiny not granted to the ordinary pokemon. However, he had never expected it to come so soon.

"Where is she now?" he said, growing impatient with every passing second. "I command you to present here to me at once!"

"I exiled her," Ampharos said slowly, his voice full of hesitation.

Zekrom growled angrily, his eyes now reflecting the fury. Ampharos had made the biggest mistake of his life, all under the treachery of the selfish Jolteon Prince Volt. And this mistake of his was provoking the wrath of a colossal legendary that stood before him.

"YOU! What?!" Zekrom roared, showing his rows of dagger-like teeth under his blackened muzzle.

Ampharos fell to his feet, burying his face in his hands in an attempt to plea. Zekrom roared like the dragon he was and stamped his giant feet, shaking the entire room around him. Surges of blue electricity were hurled wildly into various directions and the clash of thunder could be heard from outside as if the skies were sharing in the fury. None of the warriors dared to raise their heads.

"My Lord!" Ampharos exclaimed his hands and legs trembling in fear. "She is not electric. She can't rule Blitz Kingdom! I had to exile her! Did you not say that she could lead Blitz to greatness or cause its downfall? This evolutionary form she acquired, it was a sign enough."

"YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE _WATCHING_ HER!" He roared, his temper losing control. His drill-like tail began to glow a bright blue and spin rapidly. One sudden movement and he could tear down the castle wall. He snarled in the King's face, showing the deadly fangs. "EXILE WAS OUT OF QUESTION! THIS IS PREPOSTEROUS! SHE WAS DIFFERENT! SHE WILL BE THE REASON FOR THE DESTRUCTING OF YOUR EMPIRE! THE FALL OF THE BLITZ KINGDOM! FIND HER IMMEDIATELY!"

He gave out a loud roar that rang in everyone's ears. A few of them were sure they had gone deaf but thankfully, this marked the end of this ceremony. Zekrom disappeared into a flash of blue light, his final command still echoing within the walls of the Blitz Castle.

Ampharos was quivering in fear, eyes wide and heartbeat accelerating by the second. Volt, standing next to him, was breathing heavily, sucking in as much air as he could to keep himself from fainting. _Why?_ He thought. _Why is she special? And how can she destroy the Blitz Kingdom!?_

Servants came to help Apmpharos up his feet. "Your Majesty! Are you alright?" they asked, helping him to stand up on his old bones. He felt weak in the legs and it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to make the slightest of efforts.

"Sapphire," he said. The events of last night were rushing into his mind like a wild rapidash running on the empty plains, leaving his heart aching. "I did wrong by my own daughter! We must find her!"

He was sweating like crazy and his head was spinning with all sorts of horrible thoughts of what might have happened to Sapphire.

Unlike his eagerness prior to the Ceremony, Prince Volt was now in a shockingly nasty temper.

"No, she won't come back," Volt muttered under his breath. "Not while I'm here." He frowned and channeled his electrical energy into his fur, making them stand on its ends. _I will not allow her to sit on the throne!_

 **Out on the desert:-**

It was pitch black. Prince Blaze had no idea where he was headed in this darkness. All he knew was that he was stomping on his royal status and breaking his brother's trust with every step he took away from the Volcano of Frere, the place of the Frere kingdom.

He had managed to walk past the guards of Frere without much difficulty. Funny how a few lies and a royal status could get one out of so many questions which others may otherwise not escape. He did not even have to outrun them. Walking within the halls he grew up in, he managed to make it out of the castle premises very smoothly. His years of experience in sneaking out of the castle proved much helpful. Having had run along the rocky paths and through the cities of Frere, the prince was now dashing through the desert that lay ahead, leaving the Frere Volcano behind.

The rush of the adrenaline was strong within his veins, urging him to keep going. His mind was spinning with all the good times he had had with Arcanine, his brother and King. The memories were tempting, constantly remindinf him of how he was betraying the only family he had.

 **Flashback:**

"Blaze!" King Arcanine called his brother closer to the lava pit in the gardens of the castle.

Their land was free from any vegetation and not a single flower could grow in the hard grounds of the volcanic land, yet, it was captivating all the same with its hot lava pools and collection of Torkoal and Slugma everywhere. The fire element was in all its glory under the fortifications of the volcano, nurtured and kept alive by the ever-burning passion of the fire pokemon.

"Yes, Brother," Prince Blaze said, trotting over to his brother's side. He wagged his tail like an obedient little brother, his eyes glowing with excitement.

"That was a wonderful battle," Arcanine commented, looking over the small Torkoal getting out from the other side of the pool. The bigger one was feeding them something burnt. The kids seemed to be ravenous and liked it all the same, fighting for a bite with their delicate brown necks.

"Yes, it was," Blaze chirped, and then made a teasing face. "But you are no fun anymore! You used to be!"

"I'm no fun?" Arcanine asked, feigning arrogance as he pawed at his brother's belly. Blaze jumped in time to dodge, his small size only allowing him to land a few steps away.

"Yes," Blaze groaned. "Before you became the king, you used to battle me too and have fun."

"I can still have fun," Arcanine snickered.

"Is that so?" Blaze answered teasingly, walking closer to his brother now.

He frowned and stood up on his hind legs, pawing Arcanine's mane and nudging him to battle him. Arcanine made a swift movement with his paw and in the next second, Blaze found himself drenched to skin in the lava pit.

Arcanine took off, running to the other side of the garden, laughing and prancing about. Blaze realized just how much he missed that. He pulled himself out of the lava pit, and then attempted to chase Arcanine in pursuit of revenge.

Arcanine slowed down on purpose so his brother could catch up with his tiny legs. Blaze tackled Arcanine on the neck and grabbed on to his mane. Arcanine could feel the sharp tingles of his brother's claws scaling across his body and he chuckled. Clearly the younger one wasn't strong enough to pierce through his roughened skin. Having climbed up, blaze bit Arcanine in the neck.

Arcanine laughed like mad dog and tried to shake his brother off, who dangled from the ear, grabbing it tightly in his maw. Blaze clung to Arcanine's fur with the claws of his hind leg and with a little effort, was on his head.

"I missed this, brother," Blaze said, peering down at his brother from the top of his head while Arcanine panted for breath, a smile on his muzzle. It had been a while since he last played like that with Blaze. What could he do? Royal duties could seldom be delayed.

"So do I," He sighed, straightening up and raising his head, Blaze going up in the process.

"Tell me Brother," Blaze asked. "We'll always be together right?"

"Yes," Arcanine responded, looking above to the volcano's opening and catching a glimpse of the half moon.

"And you'll always be there for me right?" Blaze continued to ask, showing every sign of naivety.

"Yes, absolutely," Arcanine said, putting his paw up on the head and patting Blaze, messing up his yellow mane. "I promise you that."

 **Flashback ends**

Blaze frowned at the memory. It was a broken promise and a broken heart and a broken brotherhood; all in the name of one bloody war. He shut his eyes tightly and tried to run faster, pushing himself to the limits. _I don't need him!_ He repeated inside his head.

So far, he hadn't spotted any pokemon in this darkness and it was nothing new. It's not like he'd be able to see a pokemon in this darkness. He was so used to the fiery environment of his kingdom; the darkness was overwhelming to the Flareon Prince. Suddenly, he had an idea.

He fired a small fireball. It lit up his surrounding for a fraction of a second and he was able to grasp that he was now in a desert plain and certainly had not been followed. He shot multiple fire balls, trying to find his way around in the dim light. The fire balls would fly off into the distance, the flames burning out and then, the light would disappear altogether. Blaze kept firing more until something different came into view. A lake. He was sure of it.

"I'm at Aquanesia," he mumbled, coming to a halt on his four paws and panting for breath. "I really am far from home now."

He shot a fire ball to catch a glimpse of the lake just to confirm. As he did so, he didn't see the attack fade away into the distance and disappear like his previous one. Instead, he heard a loud whack, followed by a feminine howl.

"Who's there?" he asked, panicking. His fur stood on ends, a clear sign he was frightening. _Someone must have followed me after all!_ He thought hastily. He eyes were fixed in the direction the voice had come from, body now burning with anticipation. He fired another fire ball and the next thing he saw was a rapid water body aiming straight for him from the darkness. He jumped and barely managed to dodge the water gun and attacked with a flamethrower, catching a glimpse of a pokemon diving into the darkness of the lake and out of the view from the temporary light.

 _It's a water pokemon!_ He thought. _I don't stand a chance!_ He wasn't scared to battle it. It would be a question of his honor as Frere royally if he did not give this foe a fair fighting chance. But knowing you're at a type disadvantage can be extremely discouraging. Blaze held up his flamethrower, moving it around like a beam of fire to find the pokemon in the darkness. Several times, he saw it from the corner of his eye, breaking the surface of the lake and then diving back in again.

"Stop!" Blaze pleaded, snapping his mouth shut and clenching his teeth to keep the flames from escaping. "I come in peace!"

Prince Blaze stopped attacking the unknown pokemon. Instead, he waited for the opponent to calm down and catch the gist of the situation itself, then reveal herself.

It did not go as he had hoped. Instead, Blaze was hosed down with a massive Surf attack. He limped about, trying to stay upright but his legs gave way and toppled over. His eyelids felt heavy and he closed them slowly, his consciousness fading.


	8. Prince of Darkness

**Hey Guys,**

 **I'll cut to the chase. These last four months, successive examination months. You heard me. This means I had exams in each and every one of those months which roughly translated to my disappearance from this place. They even had one on my birthday, something I'm actually accustomed to since it falls in the Exam season. Thanks to a certain special someone, I still managed to make that day memorial. My birthday hasn't been this good since 2014 so consider that benchmark crossed.**

 **Oh, I forgot the juicy bit. It's actually still not over. I have one more exam to go. which will be followed by my compensation, the summer vacations.** **And let me tell you this. This will be my first real summer vacation in 2 years. Does this mean I'll be here updating more? Not gonna make a promise.**

 **But what I am planning to do is at least put up the chapters I already have written. I'll see how many I can edit and proofread in a day but I'll be updating about two or three every now and then.**

 **Okay. I tried to keep it short. Let's move on to the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon.**

 **I also apologize for any Grammar/spelling errors in advance. There is only one of me so yeah.**

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

 _I'm moving._

Sapphire realized before she was even fully conscious. The pain returned with her senses, making her paws ache once more. She wanted to return back to the darkness she had just recovered from but something in the back of her mind was advising against it. The alarming sensation and the question that came with it snapped her eyes open and she found her speculation to be true.

"Where am I?!" she asked as she bolted right up and unsheathed her claws.

She looked down quickly and saw a scaly blue body with black ruffled fur. She smoothed her paw over the body, feeling the rough skin beneath and realized these were dragon scales. With her eyes wide with fear, she dared to look up and found two necks stretching out over, covered in black fur up to the muzzle.

"I believe the lady is awake," she heard an unfamiliar voice, startling her.

"Yes. I believe a felt something over," a second voice, presumably the other head, frightened her even more.

One of the heads turned around and craned over to look at her. Frozen in fear, Sapphire dared not move, her eyes fixed on the pokemon. She could not see his eyes for they were covered by the tufts of black hair falling over its eyes. The pokemon never stopped walking. She could still feel its body moving, carrying her with it.

"How do you feel, my lady?" it asked, politely enough to Sapphire's relief.

"I feel quite alright," she lied, blinking at the pokemon.

"Most relieved to hear, my lady," The head nodded before turning back.

She had read about this pokemon in history books back home. A Zweilous was a pokemon that was said to have two heads. A dark dragon pokemon, history had glorified its kind in many poems and legends alike. However, she had never been privileged enough to see one in person. The pokemon was said to be native of the dark and dragon kingdom. Then what was one doing out here in the desert? The question felt irrelevant as soon as she remembered how strange it must look to the Zweilous as well to find a Glaceon in one.

"Who are you?" she asked softly so as to not offend her rescuer. "Why did you rescue me?"

"It is not us who rescued you," the other head answered without turning.

"We simply follow orders, my lady," the first head added.

Sapphire fell silent for a few minute, taking in what the pokemon had just informed her of. Her confusion in this respect was only matched by the pain coursing through her body. She began to look around and realized she was no longer in the desert. The atmosphere had changed entirely. The hot, sunny plains of the desert had been replaced by cobblestone roads and a darkened sky. She looked up and saw thick black clouds swirling overhead, shielding the sun behind them. She took a deep breath, taking in the sweet aroma of this strange place she had been brought to.

"If you don't mind me asking," she started hesitantly, addressing the Zweilous. "You both appear to have a mind of your own."

"No doubt about that," one of the heads answered. "Though contrary to popular belief, we do get along just fine, him and I."

"Most certainly we do," the other head answered. "Unless there is food in question."

Sapphire felt her stomach grumble at the sound of the word 'food'. Her cheeks instantly went red with embarrassment from the sounds of her belly and she quickly began to think up an excuse.

"I-I apologize," she said, stammering. "I am famished."

"Oh not to worry," a Zweilous head informed her. "We are almost there. You will soon be fed and tended to."

"Yes indeed," the other head continued for his brother. "Look now, my lady. We are at the castle now."

 _Castle?_ Sapphire thought, even more surprised than she was before. She pushed herself up on her weakened legs and staggered up the Zweilous's body to look between the two necks. From the gap, she saw an iron gate encrusted with a thick layer of platinum, open. It was huge, three times the size of the gates to the Blitz Castle. The Zweilous carried her through the open gates and along the path ahead while the Glaceon stared at her surrounding in awe. Her jaw dropped at this splendid view.

A few pokemon were walking ahead of the Zweilous, marching in perfect sync. Looking ahead, she could now see the castle the Zweilous had spoken of earlier, its stony towers reaching for the swirling black clouds overhead and flags dancing to the soundless winds. She narrowed her eyes, trying to make out the sigil on the flag. That would provide her with some information of her saviors. Sadly, she could not make out the symbol.

The cobblestone road had rose hedges running along its side with roses in full bloom. What surprised her was no the beauty of these flowers but the peculiar shade of the said roses. They appeared to be black, their delicate petals a stinging color of death. The cobblestone divided into several other paths, each leading deeper into the garden of roses. Sapphire found herself yearning to walk around this strange place. However, fear was quick to bring her back to reality and she found herself shrinking away from the black roses.

"Where will you take me?" she asked the Zweilous.

"We are to escort you inside to your chambers, my lady," one of the head answered as respectfully as ever.

Soon enough, Sapphire saw the army walking ahead dispersing into the paths along the road while the Zweilous kept walking ahead until he had reached the wooden doors to the castle. The doors were open, two Houndor standing guard. They barely spared her a glance as the Zweilous entered, taking the Glaceon Princess with him.

The courtyard that followed was mostly empty with two flights of stairs swirling up to the floors above, one from the right and the other from the left. The staircase was as black as ebony with red carpets running down. She could see paintings on the wall, none of which she recognized from the books she had read. She briefly wondered if this was a part she had deliberately left unread. Now she wished she hadn't, for then she might have recognized the two Umbreon on the portrait to her right, one taller than the other with golden rings and a strong face and other with a more gentler expression and rings glowing blue.

The Zweilous climbed up the staircase to the left and then turned into the left hallway which Sapphire assumed must be the west wing of the castle. The place was new to her and she did not recognize a single pokemon they passed along the way, each giving her a strange look. She decided she would have to grow accustomed to it if she were to live in this new place. Every turn was new to her and the only think she could do was study the walls around her. They were rather plain, a contrast to the magnificent garden outside and she wondered what kind of ruler would go to such lengths for a beautiful garden but turn a blind eye to his own castle.

"We are here, my lady," the Zweilous brought her back from her own thoughts.

The pokemon pushed open a wooden door to a room and carried her inside. Sapphire saw two Roserade waiting inside, standing on either side of a huge canopy bed with white sheets and black curtains. A Blissey was present too, standing on the far corner of the room with her hands together and a pleasant smile. These pokemon were strangers to her and despite not having a reason to trust, she found their company welcoming. The Zweilous stopped near the bed and the two roserade jumped up to help the Glaceon Princess down.

"I believe I'll manage," Sapphire insisted, trying to stand up.

The Roserade had their arms around her in a moment and she found herself leaning on them for support.

"You mustn't push yourself, my lady," they advised her, their voices soft and soothing to her ears.

The two quickly helped her to her bed and sat her down. The Blissey then walked closer to the side of the bed, her face set in a smile. How this overweight pink creature was walking on such tiny feet with the least bit of clumsiness was beyond her. This was a strange land she had come to, filled with pokemon she had only ever read about but never seen. Sapphire noticed one of the Roserade hop down and begin to leave, the Zweilous following her. She wanted to say something to stop them from leaving her but found herself holding back. The Zweilous exited first, followed by the roserade who closed the door behind her.

"Look here, child," the Blissey diverted her attention away from the departing pokemon.

She quickly turned to look at her, blinking slowly at this pink healer. The other Roserade took one of her forepaws in her hand and began to rub her back up and down reassuringly. Sapphire looked at her too, confused as to what these two had in mind.

"It's going to be alright, my lady," the Roserade said as she gave her paw a gentle squeeze. "Blissey here will heal you."

"Heal me?" Sapphire asked, even more puzzled now.

"Yes, child," the Blissey replied. "Just try not to move much and close your eyes."

 _How is she going to heal me without an antidote or healing herbs?_ She thought before closing her eyes, choosing to trust this pokemon. The Blissey put forward her hands and arched her tiny wings, closing her eyes too as she used her healing pulse. A white ring formed around the Glaceon's body and began to rotate around her, releasing a mystic energy in the air. Sapphire, not sure if she should open her eyes, kept them closed, relishing in the energy she felt around her. Her wounds and cuts began to fade and the pain with it.

"You may open your eyes now," the Blissey's voice came and her eyes fluttered open.

"What was that?" Sapphire asked, baffled. "I do believe I have never felt better. How did you do it?"

"I have been blessed with healing powers," Blissey informed the Glaceon Princess, smiling sweetly at her. "My kind exists to heal the wounded and aid the hurt. It is the source of our energy."

"And the food is the source of ours," the sound of Zweilous made her turn sharply to the door. "Won't you say, my lady?"

Sure enough, she found her friend returning, pulling a small cart behind him and the other Roserade walking beside him. Sapphire chuckled, the first time she had laughed in a really long time. She watched the two stop close to her bed and the Roserade set about. Sapphire watched her uncover and dish and bring it up to her on her bed. The smell of freshly baked potatoes and cheese began to make her mouth water. The Roserade placed the tray in front of her and gave her a reassuring smile.

"You may eat now, My lady," the other Roserade said, releasing her paw and stepping down from the bed.

"Eat?" Sapphire asked. "In bed?"

Even when she was ravenous, Sapphire could not help but question her manners as a Lady. She looked wildly from the Zweilous to the Roserade, searching for an answer.

"It hardly matters, my lady," one of the Zweilous heads answered.

"You must eat. You look famished." The other head nodded in agreement.

With nothing holding her back, Sapphire began to eat, slowly as to not come across as savage but eating fast enough. It tasted good and she couldn't tell if it was because she had been hungry or because it was actually the work of chef. She could not care less as long as there was something down in her belly to keep it from making that disgusting sound again. The roserade observed her, smiling at their guest as she finished every last bite of the meal.

"That was excellent," Sapphire said as soon as she finished. "May the Legendary bless the cook."

The Roserade smiled, pleased that their guest was content with their services. The Zweilous then cleared his throat.

"We have some business to attend to," one of the heads spoke. "If you will excuse us, my lady."

Sapphire nodded at the pokemon as it bowed with both its head and then left the room.

"I best be off too," The Blissey spoke up next. "They might need my help down there with the wounded."

"I am very grateful to you," Sapphire said, addressing her healer.

"You need not be grateful to me," the Blissey replied, nodding respectfully. "You must be grateful to the Prince."

With that, the Blissey quickly walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. Sapphire had to wonder how a pokemon of that weight could move so fast.

"The Prince?" she asked the two Roserade who remained. "Who is the Prince?"

"We have been ordered to bring you to him once you are well enough, "one of the Roserade informed her. "Does the Lady wish to rest before that?"

"I think I'll manage," Sapphire replied. "Will you take me to him now?"

"We must bathe you first," the other Roserade said.

Sapphire, now looking down at her messy blue fur, realized that she was no way near fit to be seen by anyone, much less royalty. She gave a little gasp, embarrassed with her own appearance. She did not look like a lady at all but rather someone who had been hard at work in the castle hearth.

"Not to worry, my Lady," one of the Roserade said. "We have prepared your bath. Come follow us."

Sapphire slowly climbed down the bed, this time, without needing any help. Her legs felt surprisingly strong and it was certainly easier functioning on a full belly. Escorted by the two Roserade, she was led to a room adjacent to her own chambers where a bath had been prepared with hot water. The Roserade pointed at it, smiling. The Glaceon slowly got into the tub and felt the warm water soak into her fur. Relaxation washed over her as she closed her eyes and led the Roserade come near.

The two began to scrub her body, one taking her paws while other scrubbed over the back. Their hands were gentle, their rose like-structure softly brushing over her body. She smiled softly, her eyes still closed. She was waiting for the Roserade to engage her in conversation but found them to be surprisingly quiet. Her handmaidens back home had a knack for chatter and though she missed them, she found her comfort in silence.

"There, all done, my lady," one of them finally said.

They helped her out of the tub and then dried her all over with towels. With the two of them, the process was quick. Once finished, they led her back to her room where they brushed her fur down and let her admire herself in the mirror.

"I look wonderful," Sapphire said, hardly recognizing herself from the creature she had been prior to the bath. "Thank you so very much."

"Our pleasure, my lady," one of the Roserade replied.

The other put out her rose-like hands in front of Sapphire. Curious, Sapphire looked down and saw a single black rose nestling in the larger petals of the pokemon's hand. Understanding what they intended, she lowered her head and let the Roserade prop this black rose into her ears.

"You are ready now," she said, smiling at her yet again.

"Then we mustn't keep the Prince waiting any longer," Sapphire replied, nodding and smiling back.

With that, the two Roserade began to walk together ahead with the Glaceon Princess obediently following., Once again, she found herself being led through the strange hallway until they reached the two staircase. Walking down the flight of stairs from the west wing, the Roserade continued to walk until they reached the center of the main courtyard and the door that led deeper into the castle premises. Sapphire followed the two and walked along one last hallway straight up ahead until they reached the end of it.

She saw a door, the largest one she had ever seen. It appeared to be a wooden door heavily coated with Platinum and strange patterns carved into it. A single pokemon, a Malamar stood guarding the door. Sapphire reckoned the pokemon must be awfully strong to not need a companion for his job.

"Go on, now," The Roserade encouraged her, nodding at the Malamar.

"I wish to speak to the Prince alone," Sapphire whispered to her two new friends. She had remembered how her own father's throne room used to be filled with courtiers and noblemen alike and figured the norm was not likely to be any different in another court. She simply did not wish to be ridiculed in front of an entire court with her tragic story which was hardly believable.

"He is alone, my lady," one of them replied. "Trust us."

Slightly puzzled by the ways of this prince, she nodded politely and then turned to the Malamar. He opened only one of the gates for her to pass through, preventing her from seeing the full room ahead. Slowly yet steadily, she went in, stopping only when she heard the door creak close behind her.

This was when she saw her savior for the first time, an Umbreon. He was standing at the far end, his fur black as the night sky with golden rings along the back and tail. He turned his head to look at her and Sapphire saw no signs of smile or relief. Unlike most rulers, he wasn't sitting on his throne, something she found odd. Most rulers learnt to love their throne, a symbol of their power and absolute authority over their kingdom. He appeared to be least interested. Instead, he was standing down the small flight of stairs that led to it, a place where courtiers would stand, not their ruler.

He nodded at her, signaling her to come closer. Now she was frightened. Unlike the pokemon earlier, there was nothing welcoming about him. The air around her felt tense, her senses screaming at her to turn back and run. Her paces were involuntarily slower than she had intended, knees shaking beneath her. She stopped just close enough for him to see her better but still far enough to not invade his personal space, which was quite a lot of it. With this distance, she could see his eyes, cold and emotionless. Yet, there was something gentle about them that was calling out to her. He blinked slowly, taking in her features and she felt herself growing increasingly uncomfortable at being objectified.

He began to walk closer to her, his body showing no signs of fear or disgust. Sapphire gulped, trying to stay calm in the presence of this dark prince. He circled her, studying her from every angle before stopping right in front of her eyes and sitting down.

"Do you know where you are?" the first question came.

"No, your Highness," she answered.

"Do you know who I am?" He asked her another question.

"They call you the Prince."

"Prince of what?"

"I would say, Darkus, Your highness. I am in company of the ruler of this kingdom and he has their element."

Prince Skull stayed silent for a few second, blinking at her. Then spoke up again.

"And who am I to you?" he asked.

"The one who rescued me," Sapphire replied, humbly. "The one I am indebted to."

Skull stopped again, breathing slowly and studying the Glaceon before him. She looked frightened but was trying her best to conceal it. The Umbreon Prince had always been very quick to pick up on fear. Her appearance was most intriguing and her manners still more. He had been right. She certainly was a proper lady. She knew how to hold herself up and talk like one.

"Who are you?" he asked her again. "May I have the pleasure of knowing who stands before me?"

He was asking, not demanding or ordering, but asking. Sapphire was surprised by his manner. Despite being the ruler here, he treated her with as much civility as if she had been his equal. The question brought back the terrible memories she had forgotten for the short while she had been at Darkus. Now they were rushing back to her, one after the other, reminding her of her true identity. Sapphire looked down, choosing not to look into the cold, black pools of darkness he called his eyes.

"I-I don't know," Sapphire answered. "I do not know who I am anymore."

Prince Skull was not someone who particularly enjoyed games, especially not from those who found themselves at his mercy. He'd been through this before. Prisoners of wars often feigned ignorance and pretended to not hold any information. However, this was different. Those were pokemon fighting in war. She was just a Lady.

"You are an ice pokemon," he said to her. "Is Glacial Kingdom not your home?"

"No, your Highness," she replied. "Things would have been very much different had that been true."

"Then tell me where," he insisted. "I can take you back if you wish."

"No!" Sapphire said a little too quickly, daring to look at him. She looked back down almost immediately, scared of what his eyes might reveal. "Y-your Highness," she quickly added before coming across as disrespectful.

Skull never looked away, his expression still the same as he witnessed this sudden change in the Glaceon's voice. He still could not make sense of what this pokemon had been through but clearly it had something to do with her home. Without a word, he turned and began to walk to his left. Sapphire followed him with her eyes. With his back now to her, she could look at this pokemon. She watched him pull up a crimson red curtain, revealing a balcony up ahead to the left of the throne room.

"Come," he ordered and walked up to the edge.

Sapphire slowly followed. Unlike him, she did not stand too close to the edge but rather a little distance behind him. Skull was overlooking his kingdom, Darkus. From up there, he could see his palace gardens below and the cities ahead with their cobblestone roads that led through. The sky above was grey, clouds looking heavy with rain. Sapphire could not see much from where she stood but she found the view to be splendid anyway.

"What do they call you?" Skull asked her another question, not looking away from the view below.

Sapphire did not want to answer. A name, a royal one at that, could give away everything. She did not wish to reveal her status to Prince Skull. _Perhaps he has already heard of me._ She thought. It wasn't uncommon for rulers to not know about the royalty of other kingdoms. _If he were to learn, perhaps he'd send me back to Blitz. Or use me for political gain. What reason do I have to trust he won't?_ His people had been kind and so had he, when he chose to save her instead of leaving her to die out in the desert. Unfortunately, her past experiences had left her skeptical and she could not bring herself to trust him with everything.

"You may give me any name you desire, your highness," she answered instead.

Skull, albeit surprised by her answer, decided to not insist on this.

"How about I address you as….Glace?" he suggested. "Lady Glace?"

"Yes, your highness," Sapphire said, bowing. "Whatever you deem fit."

"Then I shall call you that," he said, turning back to look at his kingdom. "And I hope one day you will trust me enough to tell me your real name."

Sapphire sighed softly, wondering if she would ever come to trust anyone enough to tell them who she really was.

"Do you like your new home, then?" Skull asked her again, snapping her out of thoughts.

"Home?" she mumbled sadly, the word feeling strange on her tongue.

"Darkus is to be your new home now," Skull replied, now turning to look her in the eye. "You will stay here."

Sapphire looked uncertain for a minute before nodding her head in agreement.

"As you wish, your highness," she said, bowing again.

"Now go. I will summon you when it time. He nodded at her, his muzzle never smiling.

"Time for what, your highness?"

"For you to meet our deity."

* * *

 **Okay guys. Thanks for reading. Feel free to message me if you got something to say. I'll get back to you as soon as I can.**


	9. Queen of Spirits

**Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon.**

 **I apologize in advance for any grammar/spelling errors**

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

The sound of scurrying feet echoed in the hallway.

The Queen walked swiftly, yet elegantly, her long, pink veil trailing behind her. The only other pokemon was her royal advisor, Kirlia, who floated along behind her.

Queen Esperanza, the Espeon Queen that reigned over the Kingdom of Aurora, was quite the sight to see. Titled the fairest maiden in the land, her beauty was rivaled by few, the most common one quoted to be a queen herself, far in the east. She came from a long line of royalty, each breathtakingly beautiful and it could be said that there had been a good deal of breeding about her. It was near impossible for one to look upon her and not be smitten by her charm. Her voice was as soft and sweet as a Milotic's and though she seldom sang, it was a lovely thing to hear.

She had been born into a kingdom rich in culture. The castle, built from white marble, had been constructed by expert craftsmen in ancient times, the kind that was no longer known to exist. The castle was mainly a large marble structure with symmetrical walls and a marble dome surmounting it. Four towers had also been constructed around its corners. The exterior walls had been heavily decorated with silver and rubies, red as the gem on their Queen's forehead. The wooden doors had patterns carved out of gold, each of which represented the history of the kingdom itself.

The kingdom was famous for its traditional wear. Its people were expert weavers and the cloth produced here was of finest quality known throughout the lands. The embroidery work was exquisite and much of their trade was depended on it. The psychic powers of the pokemon native to this land played a heavy role in the production of this magnificent artwork. Apart from this, their land was rich in all sorts of gems. Jade, sapphire, emerald, Amethyst and opal were to name a few. The most famous of these were rubies the symbol of the kingdom itself. All of these were mined by the psychic pokemon themselves and then made into jewelry, or often woven into clothes for the royalty. Most of these were again traded with kingdoms far away, where their value increased tenfold and earned the kingdom its wealth.

One of the most important aspects of its culture was its traditional festivals. The kingdom had been governed by many great rulers, the earliest of which had introduced this festive nature into the culture of Aurora. Though they were not particularly fond of the festivals and the celebration that came with it, their lavish lifestyle had been the main reason behind them. Over a period of time, the introduction of a new festival had become a form of legacy for its ruler, a way to be celebrated and remembered and mourned once they had departed from the world. Following this, nearly every ruler that mounted the throne named a festival in his or her honor, resulting in an increase in these festivals with each passing generation until the practice was abolished a hundred years prior to Esperanza's reign. However, none of the previous festivals were eradicated as a part of this abolishment. Rumor had it that the kingdom would be cursed into a hundred year famine if that were to happen, resulting in the remaining festivals becoming a part of everyday lifestyle. The psychic pokemon continued to honor their ancestral rulers through these festivals that seemed to occur all throughout the year. Though largely the same, they all had one thing in common, Dancing Spirits.

Presently, Queen Esperanza was running late for the Ceremony of the Ancients. Despite having been informed nearly a week before, the Espeon still failed to make it on time. Her handmaidens had insisted on dressing her up for the occasion, something trivial by her definition. Esperanza had never cared for such fineries and found it to be a nuisance. Her handmaidens, however, thought otherwise. They had been used to dressing up the Queen before, her mother, and she had an eye for the best. Esperanza was the living image of her mother, only younger and more beautiful. It was no surprise to her that they loved dressing her up, brushing her velvet soft fur and adorning her with the finest jewels in the kingdom.

"I am going to be late," she mumbled, running faster now.

"I believe we quite already are, Your Majesty," Kirlia answered, her voice imitating her Queen's anxiousness. "Better late than never."

"This would be so if I were running to meet my subjects," Esperanza replied without stopping. "But His Lordship, that is another matter entirely."

As the door to the throne room came in view, the two subjects, Alakazam, hurriedly threw open the doors upon seeing her approaching figure, moving out of the way to let the Queen rush in. She did not spare them glance, nor a greeting, just passed through with her veil following, Kirlia floating in right after. The doors were slowly closed behind her, the guards knowing full well that the ceremony would now commence.

She hurried along the lavender carpet of the throne room, the one which was woven by the most expert of Ariados in the Aurora Empire. She quickly walked past the other pokemon in the room, a small segment of her army that had been summoned to attend this. On the left side was the file of Alakazam and then Reuniclus. On the right side were Gothitelle and then Gallades. The candles in the room had been dimmed down, a small flame flickering on each, giving the throne room a mystic, sinister feel.

Once Esperanza had taken her position in the center of the throne room with her subjects behind her, she closed her eyes and knelt. Kirlia and others quickly followed after their Queen, kneeling down in wait for their legendary to present itself. It was not long. A mysterious purple light appeared, just above the throne itself, its spherical body giving off a strange aura. The light grew with the energy increasing as it did so. It then morphed into a figure that was well recognized by the people of the kingdom and as it began to fade, a pokemon revealed itself. Its body was entirely bones with the lower half slightly bulkier that the rest and a very long tail. It was floating high up in the air and with the pokemon kneeling, none of them could see. It floated down and sat itself on the throne.

"Lady Esperanza," the pokemon, Mewtwo, said. Esperanza stood up and opened her eyes, now looking at the legendary.

"Lord Mewtwo," Esperanza spoke. "I am at your service. What is it that I have been summoned for by the Great Lord?"

"You rule fairly well, child," he replied to her question, his voice sharp and blunt. "But this is not all there is to being a Queen."

"Whatever do you mean, Lord Mewtwo?" Esperanza asked, slightly confused.

"The prosperity of your kingdom," he said. "It does not lie solely within the walls of Aurora but rather in the world beyond."

"Beyond?" Esperanza asked, her confusion growing. "You mean across the grasslands to the South, My Lord?"

"Indeed. A conquering kingdom lies just overhead, does it not?"

"I am aware."

Her tone was turning from her usual lady-like to a sad one.

"And it may strike any time," Mewtwo said, his tone not reflecting the warning he was giving. "You must not only defend your kingdom but establish its might."

"How do I do that, My Lord?" Esperanza asked yet again.

"You strike first."

"What do I have to gain there, Your Lordship?"

Mewtwo sighed and shook his head. He had forgotten that Esperanza was as soft at heart as she was beautiful. She did not like unnecessary bloodshed and preferred to avoid it if she could. What he was putting forth essentially suggested the same.

"Esperanza, you believe in peace and love," Mewtwo spoke again. "Not power. And that is where you are going wrong, child. You must understand that people answer to those with power, not compassion."

"Are compassion and love not essential to be a good ruler?"

"Very much so. But the gentler you are, the weaker you grow. Have you forgotten? Forgotten what happened to you?"

"It was not his fault," she replied, gritting her teeth at her misfortunes. "I was wedded by the will of my parents."

"It does hurt still," Mewtwo replied, his voice carrying no sympathy for her.

"What are your orders?" Esperanza said, bowing in defeat that he had proven his point above her own.

"You attack the kingdom of Darkus," he instructed. "Make his pokemon bleed."

Mewtwo faded away in purple smoke and light. With their deity gone, all the warriors rose to their feet, awaiting orders.

"Your Majesty?" Kirlia asked, studying Esperanza's face carefully.

Esperanza looked a bit shaken by the recent conversation. She seldom had to face confrontations about her past. In the kingdom, everyone had decided to leave the past in the past a long time ago. Everyone accept their legendary pokemon who had no obligations to uphold the laws of the common pokemon. Kirlia saw Esperanza turn cold, her muzzle pressed in a tight smile as she rose and looked up, her eyes fixed on her throne.

"Prepare the army," She order grimly, then turned and left.

 **In Darkus Kingdom:-**

Standing in the middle of an empty throne was certainly overwhelming.

Glace, the exiled Princess of Blitz, found herself summoned to the throne room much sooner than she had originally anticipated. She had arrived just moments ago, expecting the room to be filled with pokemon from the army and Prince Skull waiting out in the front. As soon as the Malamar had opened the door for her, she was greeted by silence that prevailed over this vacant room.

 _Perhaps I'm early._ She thought, sitting in its center. She dared not to go too close to the throne itself, worried it might offend her new king. _That simply cannot be possible. I was ordered to be here by sunset._ Perplexed, she decided to stand up and pace around, thinking about the Umbreon Prince. She imagined he must be quite a terror to behold for those who encountered him on the battlefield and happened to be on the wrong side. He had a strong built, much like her brother, perhaps stronger and she reckoned his type had to be a strong one for a kingdom to be so renown and feared. His eyes were the most vivid memory she had from their meeting. They were cold, two black pools of nothing but darkness and holding no kindness or sympathy, which was odd. For what, if not them, could have compelled the ruler to darkness to save the life of an innocent soul? Glace figured that she'd never get the answer to that question, not unless she mustered up the courage to ask herself.

Her earlier visit had left her without an opportunity to study this throne room. Now alone, she began to look around, finding the room to be largely black, their signature color. A crimson red carpet had been rolled down from the steps of the throne and to the door. The walls were mostly plain save for the few swords and candle holders. The Throne, perhaps, was the only thing that stood out from all the rest. It was made of gold with its arms coated in platinum and beautifully carved out and a velvet red cushion. Having made her observation, Glace concluded that Prince Skull was clearly not interested in investing in petty things like décor.

"Lady Glace," The sound of his voice made her nearly jump out of her skin.

"Y-your Highness," she managed to stutter, bowing politely to acknowledge his present.

Prince Skull swiftly walked towards her and then passed her, making for the throne up ahead. Glace turned around to look at his black figure walking away from her, her heart racing. She watched him walk up to candles close to the throne and put out their flame using his paw without wincing. The silence dominated the room once more, proving how the presence of the prince had made no real difference to the environment of the throne room. He was stealthy on his feet and extremely quick, she observed.

"Your Highness," Glace spoke, deciding to try to initiate conversation. "If you do not mind me asking, and I mean no offence, but should you not summon more pokemon for a Ceremony of the Ancients?"

"More pokemon?" He bluntly replied her question with a question as he walked left towards the candle holders on the wall. "Why would I desire that?"

"It is customary for the ruler to be accompanied by his greatest warriors in an occasion like this," Glace informed Skull as she saw him walk towards the right side now having put off the candle to the left. That caught his attention and he stopped and looked at her.

"And where exactly is this place where it is customary?" Skull asked her yet again, raising one eyebrow. Glace felt a shiver run down her spine as her mind registered this look and classified it as suspicious.

"Uh…plenty of places," Glace stuttered, nervous now. "Your Highness. I believe there are many kingdoms out there that follow this practice."

"A fool's custom then," Skull replied, turning and walking again. "One does not need to adopt a fool's custom unless he is one. Don't you agree. Lady Glace?"

"Yes, Your Highness," she replied so as to not offend him any further.

A few seconds of silence followed as Skull continued to put out the candles. She breathed a sigh of relief, perfectly confident that was the end of the conversation. She was wrong.

"How did you come to know about this custom?" Skull asked, now approaching her. "You seem to know a great deal about it."

"I have heard stories, your highness," Glace answered, miraculously not stuttering this time. "I was told how kings and queens summoned their most trusted pokemon in a grand ceremony where they conversed with the legendary pokemon."

"Then what does that say about you?" Skull asked, his eyes now fixed on hers. "Do you think I trust you?"

And there it was again, his cold eyes and steal glare. She could feel them piercing through, scaring her half to death. She could not tear her eyes away from his and it frightened her in ways she had never known it was possible. She nearly confessed, she was sure of it. However, something at the back of her mind kept her from making this mistake. She stayed silent with her muzzle set in a tight line similar to his. However, his eyes gave away nothing. Hers gave away fear.

"Shall we begin then?" he changed the topic almost abruptly as he had brought it up.

"Yes, your highness," she replied a little too quickly, slightly relieved.

With that, Prince Skull walked up and stood beside her, both now facing the throne up ahead, a good distance away. Glace was surprised how Prince Skull did not ask her to stand behind him, nor did he stand ahead of him. He voluntarily walked up and stood beside her as if she had been his equal. _Is he really that humble or does he simply not care?_ She wondered, recalling her previous conversation about customs. _Probably the latter._

Skull bowed his head down on the ground and she did the same. Heavy winds began to blow through the windows and the balcony, rustling the crimson red drapes. Glace felt a sharp drop in temperature but it wasn't enough to bother her, given her type. She wanted to open her eyes and look at the Dark Prince but decided against it for some reason. A black portal opened on the ground ahead of them, sucking in the heavy winds that began swirling right in. Then, slowly and gradually, a huge pokemon began to levitate out of it. At first, it was only his gold plated head, and then he sprouted his shadowy black wings that stretched as far as the walls of the throne room, its edges a stained a sharp red. That was all he was willing to show of himself. His eyes were blood red and glowing, the gaze enough to even scare the dead out of their grave.

"Rise," his voice boomed.

Glace felt shivers run down her spine at the sound of his voice. Prince Skull rose slowly and then looked into the eyes of this pokemon. Glace did so too, only she did not dare to look this pokemon in the eyes.

"Master Giratina," Skull said politely, addressing Giratina. "We defeated Florasia Kingdom in the battle, as you ordered." Skull reported.

"Well done," he growled.

Giratina then darted his eyes to the pokemon beside Skull and noticed the Glaceon Princess. He blinked at her, clearly not amused with her display of fear.

"Who is this that you bring before me?" Giratina asked, his tone a bit softer but voice still loud. "Look at me, Glaceon."

Glace looked up at him hesitantly, feeling her legs shake beneath her. He looked far more terrifying than she had anticipated he would be from the sound of his voice.

"I found her," Skull replied to the questioned asked, "in the desert, alone and on the brink of death."

"Fate has been kinder," Giratina said, now shifting his attention to the Glaceon.

Giratina went silent for a few minutes, looking at Glace. It looked like she was going to faint from fear alone.

"I sense something," Giratina growled, "Something very peculiar from her. What is your name, child?"

"His Highness, Prince Skull, has given me the name Glace, Lord Giratina" she managed to reply without stuttering. "I shall like to claim that that is my name."

"Very well," Giratina answered. "If it was destiny that you brought here, I will permit you to stay."

"Thank you," Glace said. "Lord Giratina,"

Glace bowed before the legendary pokemon as she expressed her gratitude, earning a nod in return.

"Master Giratina," Skull said. 'What are your orders now?"

"I want you to conquer the Fossil Kingdom now," Giratina said his voice deadly. It echoed through the room and rang in Glace's ears. It was not like the clear and loud voice of Zekrom. No, it was sort of distorted; piercing her ears and soul within but still had the Dragon's growl.

"But be careful. I see an evasion from the Aurora Kingdom."

Skull didn't seem fazed, Glace could tell that very easily. His facial expressions did not change at the mention of this. It remained stern, radiating the confidence of the ruler Glace had now come to associate with him.

"Aurora Kingdom?" Skull asked. "Lady Esperanza would not dare attack my kingdom. She was in love with me once. She still is I believe."

"She will," he said, "on the command of her deity. I trust in your ways Skull. Now go. And be careful of the Glaceon. She is special."

Glace had heard this before but now, it left her more puzzled than ever. _I'm not special. I'm a fugitive._ She thought miserably. _Why does everyone think I'm special? If so, why do they forsake me?_

The pokemon began to descend into the portal he had appeared out of. Glace saw this golden head disappear into the depths of another world, a world she would never see. The Portal vanished shortly after, leaving behind an Umbreon Prince and his new Glaceon subject.

Glace's legs were trembling. She was frightened now more than she ever had been, even more so then the time of her exile and the chase that followed it. She had attended several of the ceremony of the ancients with her father, King Ampharos and Zekrom and even he wasn't as terrifying as Giratina. His voice held no malice, yet there was a strong sense of darkness from within. Glace could not make any conclusions about the Deity of Darkus. All she knew was that this was possibly the first of many Ceremonies of the Ancients she will be attending with him.

"Are you alright, Lady Glace?" Skull asked, walking towards her. He was looking down at her legs which were shivering, even though the temperature had gone back to being mild.

"I…I'm fine," she managed to utter. Prince Skull fully comprehended her situation. She was afraid. He, too, had been there once. The first experience with Giratina had been far more worst for Prince Skull as it had been for Glace. For that sole reason, he did not feel any pity for her.

"I wanted you to see him," Skull said, ignoring her shivering. "I know you do not understand. But know this: Now that you've seen him, dare not defy his power or No good will come you. I, Skull, Umbreon Prince of Darkus will see to it personally, if it were to come to that."

Glace tried to say something is response but no words would come out. She managed a nod to acknowledge this statement, hoping he'd be finished with her for the day after that.

"He said you were special," he continued, proving her wrong. "Well, we will leave it that. You are dismissed."

"Your Highness," she bowed.

With that, she turned and walked out of the room, leaving the Umbreon Prince alone in the throne room with his thoughts.


	10. What Goes Unheard

**I suggest you guys read this chapter as it adds more to the original story and version.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon.**

 **I also apologize in advance for any Grammar/spelling errors I missed.**

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

 **In Blitz Kingdom:-**

The Sun had taken over the sky that the moon and stars of the night before had left behind.

The Kingdom of Blitz was in full swing, its streets bustling with chatter as the pokemon went about their everyday business. The latest gossip of a runaway Glaceon and the Jolteon Prince, Volt, giving her a chase had reached just about every ear. It was not possible for one to witness one thing and not exaggerate. The electric pokemon were masters in the art of telltales and the rumors being whispered around the kingdom ranged from a petty thief to a murderous spy, each version of the story depicting her as a treasonous entity that escaped the hands of the law. However bizarre the story was, the ending was always the same on how she should have been caught and executed for her heinous crime. Of course the common folk cared little more than a Snorlax on hibernation when it came to the truth. All one needed was a beating heart and a good listening ear and he was all set to play his minor part in the grand scheme.

The environment of the castle was exactly opposite of the city outside. Tension and stress felt like a physical presence within its walls and silence prevailed. The servants went about their work, keeping their voices to themselves. The gardeners tended to the flowerbeds, the Beautifly and Butterfree quieter than ever. And the guards minded their own business, no one stopping for chatter. This, of course, did not exempt the throne room. The courtiers had gathered in, all anxious and slightly terrified of the king in his present state. He looked enraged, the fury evident from the sparks of electricity on his horns. Although many wished to counsel him, most felt it was best to leave the harder part of this to his son, the Jolteon Prince.

Volt, too, had been summoned to the court. He stood before his father with his muzzle set in a tight line and eyes blinking slowly. King Ampharos had Volt thinking hard about a plan to retrieve Sapphire, a job he was reluctant to do. Feeling he had been stalling for long enough, the Jolteon Prince finally decided to speak up.

"Your Majesty" he began, trying to sound worried for his Glaceon sister. "I do believe it is possible that Sapphire may have headed North-West to Aquanesia, the Kingdom of the water pokemon."

"An opinion I consider," the King answered.

A Luxray, A Menetric, an Electrivire and a Golventula, the four commanders of the Blitz army stood on the side of the throne, awaiting any orders concerning the military forces. The pokemon had been summoned to bring in their expert advice, an idea Volt was not content with. As long as they kept their tongues between their teeth as they did on the battlefield, he figured he would be alright.

"Your Majesty," The Luxray spoke up to Volt's dismay. "She could have fled to Frere, the kingdom to the North east."

"If she has gone east," the Menetric added, "She must have reached Frere Kingdom. That is extremely dangerous for the princess, given her ice type."

King Ampharos pondered over this while Volt made mental notes to keep his eye out for these dim witted Warriors of his army who were disrupting his plans to keep Sapphire off the Blitz grounds.

"I suggest we tackle Frere Kingdom first," Electrivire said in his manly and elderly voice. "If she is indeed in Frere, she could be in grave danger. We must save her and be quick about it."

"Your Majesty," The Golventula said, putting in his own word. "If I may suggest, we should try to be strategic about it if we are to maintain our diplomatic relations with the neighboring kingdoms."

"Go on," Ampharos encouraged. "What is it that you advice?"

"We should write to them," he replied. "State our terms and demand the safe return of the princess and promise no bloodshed."

Volt, seeing a loophole in this fiasco that was continuously damaging his plans, chose that moment to use his voice.

"Nonsense!" he stated, then ran a bolt of electricity down his fur to show his fury, sharpening his soft fur into knives. "That is absurd! Not only will they refuse to hand over the princess, they will declare war on us! With Sapphire as hostage, one can only imagine of what monstrosity those fiery-headed pokemon are subjecting her too! She is my sister! And I love her, I really do! I simply will not risk her safety on a scrap of paper with meaningless words! I say we march on them with a surprise attack!"

Silence fell over the room, the courtiers now staring wide-eyed at the Jolteon Prince. They turned to the King, now awaiting the final verdict.

"Luxray, Menetric, Electrivire and Golventula," he ordered, growling. The four bowed their heads low to receive orders. "Prepare your armies! We fight!"

A decision acceptable to all, the four commanders bowed their heads and excused themselves from the court, leaving to make all the necessary preparations for their upcoming battle.

"Your Majesty?" A courtier, an Emolga, said, stepping forward and bowing his head.

"Speak," Ampharos answered sternly.

"What are we to do about the rumors? Do you not think the people deserve to know?"

Prince Volt frowned at this suggestion. With his father on the throne, it was hard enough to keep the court in his favor. The people, on the other hand, were easy to fool. If he could not sway the king, the least he could do was ensure that Sapphire would not grow to be a popular figure amongst the Blitz Pokemon. The rumors, as of now were working in his favor. But should the news of the runaway pokemon being the legitimate heir of the throne be made common knowledge, the results could be unpredictable.

"We will put an end to them," he spoke before King Ampharos could address the Emolga, "once the issue at hand has been resolved. That will be all."

Prince Volt then bowed before the king and then swiftly turned to leave, a faint smile playing on his muzzle now. This would play out nicely in his favor. With him leading the army, he could make sure Sapphire never returned alive, ensuring his claim to the Blitz throne.

 **In Darkus Kingdom:-**

 _Beautiful._

That was the first word that came to her mind. Glace, with the permission of Prince Skull, was now allowed to tour the castle grounds and the palace gardens without an escort. She had chosen the gardens as her first place.

The Glaceon princess was finding the day to be rather dull. Being used to the sun, the more cloudy weather of the Darkus felt strange to her. She gingerly trotted along the cobblestone road, looking left and right at the rose hedges. The leaves were a dark shade of green with black roses in full bloom, morning dew still fresh on their delicate petals. She would occasionally bring her muzzle close to these flowers and breathe in their sweet scent. The cobblestone road that served as the pathway along these rose hedges was surprisingly convenient. She came to the intersection where the path to the left and right connected to the main one that led to the iron gates. Curious to see the rest of the garden, she turned right and continued walking along, her mind still focused on the black roses around her.

This path seemed to diverge into several others, leading into the deeper parts of the garden. The more she saw, the more curious she got about the rest of the garden but decided to refrain from turning again to not get lost in this maze-like garden. Soon enough, she came to the end of the garden and found herself facing a pond.

She closed in, trying to stay behind the rocks on its bank and stared into the clear water within. Ripples formed on its surface and Glace took a step back, hesitant now but curious all the same. And then, she saw it. It was barely visible, a light shade of pink as it swam close to the surface and then dived down deeper almost instantly. Her jaw dropped as she stared hard into the water, disbelieving. It was a Luvdisc. She was sure of it. A very rare species of pokemon that could only be bred with pure love resided within the castle of a kingdom that seemed to be lacking it. Glace came closer, her eyes fixed on the pond in hopes of seeing this magnificent creature again. Sadly, she did not. The pokemon did not come up to the surface again. As difficult as it was to breed them, it was harder still to earn their trust. She clearly remembered the books saying that Luvdisc only ever respond to their caretakers. Disappointment settled in and Glace sat down close to the pond, sighing deeply at this lost opportunity.

"Lady Glace," she heard a familiar voice.

She turned around and found the Prince standing behind her. _How long has he been there?_ She wondered as she curtsied.

"Your Highness," she said.

Knowing that Prince Skull was not the one to engage in small conversation, she expected him to leave shortly after acknowledging her. To her surprise, he walked over to her, and then sat down next to her, his own eyes on the pond now. She studied his expression and found it to be its usual cold look, eyes still unreadable.

"Fine morning, won't you agree?" he asked.

Glace was shocked beyond belief. He was actually making the effort to make conversation with her. None of her previous meetings had indicated that he was even slightly interested in anything.

"Yes, Your Highness," she agreed.

She was visibly hesitant and Prince Skull was not oblivious to it. His mere presence frightened her and though he was indifferent to her timid disposition, something urged him to try and make her feel more comfortable in his home.

"How do you like the gardens?" He asked her, not turning to look at her. Instead, he looked at her reflection in the pond.

"It's breathtakingly beautiful, your highness," she replied, sounding significantly relaxed now. "I have never seen a black rose in my life before. It is absolutely marvelous. The gardens here, it is like darkness and life in perfect harmony."

Prince Skull looked amused now, listening to the Glaceon describing his gardens. He noticed how her accent was rather refined and she spoke with the fluency of a royal, choosing her words very carefully. Her voice was soft and gentle, almost saintly and he found himself lingering longer than he had initially intended.

"Black Rose Garden," Skull said. "I named it after those exquisite roses that bloom only in darkness."

"A fine name, Your Highness." Glace replied, "Life can bloom in darkness and that is the very beauty of it."

A blush crept up on her cheeks as Glace thought about what she had just said. She figured something like this must have sounded ridiculous to the Dark Prince. This did not go unnoticed by the Darkus Prince who was still studying her through her reflection in the pond. He stayed silent, observing her. She did not turn her head away from the pond. Knowing full well what it was, Skull stood up and brought his muzzle close to the water, just close enough to not touch the surface. Her brow slightly rose as she wondered what the Umbreon Prince was trying to do. He then took a step back and sat down, his eyes on the pond once again. Just then, the surface of the water broke with a soft splash as two Luvdisc jumped out of the water and dived back into its depths.

Glace gave as a soft gasp. She watched in awe as this rare beauty of a pokemon resurfaced and began to spin around the pond in circular motions. To call it beautiful would be an understatement. The books she had read on them had not done them justice. The pair looked absolutely glorious, the very vision of love. They then began to swim in a heart shape pattern, their pink bodies blending in perfectly with the crystal blue of the water as they dived in occasionally and resurfaced, cooing softly to each other as if they were whispering the secrets of love.

"Is that what you were looking for?" Skull's voice brought her back from her thoughts.

The fact that he knew about her petty little wish surprised her and why he chose to show her the Luvdisc for her amusement was beyond her. Feeling a tad bit confident, she dared to look into his eyes and saw him blink back at her, his eyes cold as ever. However, there was something gentle about them and it was clearer now than before. Perhaps he wasn't so cold after all.

It was not something that came naturally to Prince Skull but he found himself smiling at the awestruck Glaceon. He never knew he could make her so happy with something so trivial. Being used to the demanding nature of the nobles, the idea that this Glaceon that he had rescued took pleasure is the smaller things in life amused her. She was different, far more so than he had anticipated. She had no common traits with the highborn yet spoke like one. She did not yearn for their luxurious lifestyle yet carried herself like one. She was not well bred like the greater lot of them and yet was a beauty in her frozen skin.

Glace saw his smile, the first time she had ever seen him smile and smiled back.

"Walk with me," Skull ordered and turned to walk away from the pond.

Intrigued, she willingly followed, mindful of walking behind him because she did not consider herself his equal.

"Your highness," Glace said. "If you don't mind me asking, you are the King of Darkus, are you not?"

"I am," Skull replied.

"Then why do they address you as a Prince and not a king?"

Skull sighed softly before answering.

"There is a custom," he began, "a long standing tradition that I shall only be addressed as the King when I come of age and not a moment before."

"So you became the ruler, Glace said, "before coming of age? How is that possible?"

"It has been quite a while," Skull said. "I was but an Eevee when I came to the throne."

The sudden change is his tone sent warnings to the Glaceon who decided to not inquire any further into this matter. Falling silent, she continued to follow him. Prince Skull welcomed this silence and began to think.

 **Flashback:**

An Eevee stood near the throne of the Darkus kingdom, anxiously awaiting the arrival of his parents who had gone out to war with the Florasia kingdom. He trotted from one end to the other, ears pricked for the sound of the wooden door opening. The amount of times the Umbreon Queen and the Umbreon King had nuzzled and licked their only child had left the kid to wonder if they were ever coming back.

Some would say Skull was a spoiled prince. His mother, the Umbreon Queen, was rare beauty. She was born a Silver Eevee and upon evolution, had acquired blue rings to her husband's golden. Her husband, the king, was the strongest fighter in the land, fast on field and quick with his claws. There was a never a more beautiful couple than the two. So naturally, when the news of the new prince being born came, everyone hoped he would be a gem, just like his mother, and fierce like his father. His brown pelt and weaken body at the time of birth was a disappointment to all. Many thought he would not survive and die out in infancy. However, the King and Queen did not share their opinion.

Being the only child born of the Darkus king and queen, they loved him far more than anything else. The Queen had personally taken charge of raising her son instead of leaving him to the maids. She never let anyone near him. Under her care, Skull grew up to be a healthy pokemon. His father would occasionally take him on the journeys to other kingdom where he would teach him about their culture and ways. From his first breath, Skull had always had every one of his wishes fulfilled. Seeing as to how he was being raised, many believed that Skull would not grow up to be a good king like his father. Spoilt children seldom fit the crown, as they said. Too young to comprehend, Skull paid little attention to this incessant display of affections from his parents, his child-like mind never anticipating the hard times to come.

The Eevee heard the door being opened. He instantly turned to face the door, his beady eyes nearly tearing up as he looked out for the familiar shadow of an Umbreon. He did not see it. Instead, he saw Absol, his father's advisor, step in, his face looking grim and eyes blank. The sudden change in the atmosphere frightened the little Eevee and he began to chant the words his parents had departed with: _We will always love you._

Absol stopped a few meters from the young prince, staring at the Eevee before him. Words failed him when it came to bearing the bad news of his parent's demise on the battlefield. Unable to speak, the Absol closed his eyes, sighed, and turned his head away, his blade shielding his face from the Eevee prince.

"Where are they?" Skull asked.

His expectant little voice stabbed knives into the heart of the Absol. He looked up at the prince, meeting his hopeful little eyes with his blank ones and said, "They are no more."

Skull fell to the ground and burst into tears. His tail and ears went limp and his legs failed to support his weight. The tears began to splatter on the black marble flooring of the throne room, making a soft pattering noise combined with the sniffles of the crying Eevee prince. Absol now gazed pitifully at the prince while his mind contemplated what was to come.

Absol soon learnt that he was not the only one who wanted to share the company of the future King. The room went dark and heavy winds began to howl, announcing the arrival of the deity Darkus served. A black portal appeared on the floor of the throne room, sucking in whatever was above it and then, a mysterious pokemon began to appear out of it. At first, it was only his gold plated head and blood red eyes, gleaming and boring into their souls. Then his silver body followed, shadowy black wings spreading over the walls.

"Leave," he commanded Absol. He obeyed immediately, swiftly turning and running out of the throne room, leaving the frightened Eevee to the Lord of Distortion.

This was not the first time Skull had seen Giratina but without his parents by his side, the sight of this dreadfully colossal beast scared him to death. Breathing hard with his eyes wide, the Eevee took a few hesitant steps back, his legs quivering beneath his body. He wanted to leave. He wanted to turn tails and head straight for the wooden door behind him. Sensing Skull's intentions, Giratina roared loudly, a screeching sound that rang in his ears and made his face go white with fear.

"You must take over the kingdom," he boomed, showing the rest of himself. The portal beneath him vanished and he landed on the throne room's floor, his eyes fixed on Skull and his fixed on Giratina.

The legendary was clearly not amused with the childish nonsense Skull had to show. Nor did he have any sympathy to offer to the orphaned prince.

"I-I cannot," Skull replied. "I do not know how."

His answer earned him a growl from the legendary pokemon. Skull wanted to just faint and let this fade into a dream but none of that was happening. Not tonight. Giratina brought his face close to the shivering Eevee, letting the young prince see the massive golden head. He gave a soft growl, blinking at the pokemon as if he had been nothing more than a pile of meat. Skull saw the legendary pokemon open his mouth, displaying his deadly fangs dripping with blood. A showdown ball formed under the fangs which the pokemon than fired at the defenseless Eevee.

Skull was sent flying in the opposite direction and crashed into the wall. The wall broke with the force of the attack and toppled onto his limp body. He was just a child. He wasn't fit to battle a regular pokemon, let alone a legendary. Giratina roared like a savage and swung his tail, smashing it over the broken ruble of wall. The pieces went flying from the force, Skull along with them. He crashed to the floor again, blood dripping from his forehead. The Eevee began to glow a bright white and when the light faded, an Umbreon was lying in his place. Though he had not regained consciousness, his wounds from the earlier attacks had healed with the evolution.

"Get up you pathetic little Flesh!" He snarled, leaning over to the Prince lying limp on the ground. Skull raised his head with the little strength and courage he could summon only to have Giratina roar into his face, giving him a good taste of the foul breath. He opened his heavy eyelids for one last look at the ferocious beast he would serve for the rest of his life before his fading faculties forced them closed.

"Now you are fit to rule!" Giratina boomed, his screeching roar echoing through the castle once more, making it known what the deity commanded.

He gave one last look to the unconscious Prince and then incased himself in his shadowy black wings and vanished.

 **Flash back ends**

"Your Highness?"

Glace's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. Skull, although shaken by the memory, did not show any signs of distress to the Glaceon following.

"Yes?" he replied.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Tell me Lady Glace. Do you like to read?"

"Yes, very much so, your Highness."

"Then I shall take you to my library."

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 **Thanks for reading!**


	11. Battle of Blinds

**Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon.**

 **I also apologize in advance for any Grammar/spelling errors I missed.**

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

"Hmm?"

Blaze mumbled, slowly opening his eyes. The blurry vision of the desert came into view. He was not sure if he was still awake. He moved his paw, feeling for the ground beneath him and trying to heave himself up on his legs. _How long have I been lying here?_ He thought as he managed to push himself up on his wobbly feet, eyes still on the ground beneath. He could feel the heat of the Sun soaking through his fiery red pelt.

The events of the night before came rushing to his mind, jabbing his senses awake. As fear settled in, Blaze's body tensed and went stiff, his eyes now wildly searching for any pokemon about. There were none. All he could see was the sandy wasteland stretching for miles with desert vegetation dotting the lands. He turned his head around to find himself still by the lake of Aquanesia.

 _Upon One summer's morning_

He twitched up his ears, startled. All five of senses sharpened at the sound of the sweet singing voice. He looked around anxiously, searching for the source.

 _I carefully did stray_

 _Down by the walls of Wapping where I met a sailor gay_

Another sound and he was growing more alert by the minute. _Am I hearing voices!?_ He exclaimed in his head. There wasn't a single pokemon in sight. Then who was singing? He heard a sound of splash and darted his eyes to the lake where he spotted a light blue smudge among deep blue of the lake water. Was that it?

 _My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain old glittering gold_

Blaze narrowed his eyes, trying to catch the figure of the pokemon splashing in the lake but in vain. It was light blue with a sort of yellowish structure around its neck and that's all he could grasp. Its fish-like tail was in constant motion, breaking the surface and then disappearing below the waters, making a soothing splash sound and ripples in the lake that gave her voice the perfect tune. The pokemon began to swim closer to the banks, singing softly while Blaze just kept staring, mesmerized by this beauty from the realm of the blue.

 _There is nothing can console me, but my jolly sailor bold_

 _There is nothing can console me, but my jolly sailor bold_

By now, the pokemon had reached the banks of the lake, her eyes carefully studying the Flareon Prince before her. Blaze began to piece it all together. He was at Lake Aquanesia and standing before a gorgeous Vaporeon with the voice that could rival Meloetta, the deity of music.

"Do you have a name?" she asked, placing her paws on the bank. She pulled up to level her head with his but kept her tail in the water below.

"I go by Blaze," He answered. "Your Majesty."

She gasped at how he addressed her, eyes widened at the Flareon who was now smiling softly. She shrank back, swimming back into the water but not quite diving in. This sudden display of defensive behavior signaled to Blaze that some explanation was in order.

"Forgive me," he began. "I find myself at Lake Aquanesia and am greeted by a Vaporeon. There is only one Vaporeon in Aquanesia and that is their Queen, Queen Aquila."

He gave her another reassuring smile and saw her muzzle curl into one as well. She swam closer once more, looking up eagerly at the Flareon Prince. She was scared of him, but curiosity was dominant of the two and was winning her over.

"You have nothing to fear." He added. "I come in peace. And I come alone."

"You know who I am," she said and slipped into the lake water only to resurface closer to the Flareon. "But I do not know you."

Blaze felt his cheeks growing hot from this sudden invasion of personal space. But then, it would have seemed normal for a fire pokemon so he was not worried about her noticing. He looked into her eyes and saw her looking back into his, blinking slowly. _Sirenic!_ He thought. She had to have him under some kind of spell. He never was so easily distracted by females. But Aquila? She had him under a trance.

 _I have been staring at her!_ He suddenly realized and quickly moved back a few paces and shook his head, trying to fight the lightheadedness he was feeling. _Must have been the long hours of unconsciousness,_ he told himself, denying the fact that a female could make him feel this way. Aquila giggled a bit at his sudden retreat from her and then moved away from the bank herself, her tail thrashing in front of her.

"You gave me an awful lot of fright last night," She said slowly yet playfully. "You appeared out of nowhere, flames on your muzzle."

"It was you?" Prince Blaze exclaimed, taking a step forward in curiosity.

"Yes," she replied with an apologetic smile. "My question still stands. Who are you?"

"Allow me to introduce myself," he said quickly. "I am Prince Blaze of the Frere Kingdom. Home of the fire type pokemon."

"A Prince?" she said, tilting her head in the lake. "You are royalty, like me."

"So, may I ask what the Queen of the water was doing up on the surface in the middle of the night?" He raised one eyebrow questionably. "You should have been in the safety of your castle."

"It is a bit too early for you to trouble yourself with my safety," Aquila chuckled. "Wouldn't you agree?"

"My question stands," Blaze replied in a challenging tone and a soft smile.

"I was out walking," she said, blinking slowly. "You startled me upon my return so I attacked you. I heard you cry out that you came in peace. I am terribly sorry if I hurt you."

You need not worry!" He smiled at her. "I am willing to forgive and forget if you are willing to do the same."

"What are you doing here, Prince Blaze?" She asked him, swirling in circles in the water to avoid his gaze. By now, she was sure that her curiosity was putting the prince under an uncomfortable position and it was best to give him some space. Blaze looked down, studying his paws.

"Running away I suppose," he said and gave a deep sigh which worried the water queen for a second but it was quickly replaced by another thought.

She turned to look at him again. He was avoiding her gaze, a sign that he was not willing to confide in her just yet. She was reluctant to press for any information in case it offended the Flareon Prince. Instead, she decided to help him to the extend she could. _It would be fun to have a royal guest._ She thought. The Prince didn't seem to have any previous engagements.

"Come with me to Aquanesia," she offered.

It was rather sudden and blunt and as soon as she said it, Aquila figured she could have phrased it better. Smiling awkwardly now, she hoped for the best. He appeared skeptical at first, as if she had been trying to lure him into a trap. He looked into her eyes and found sincerity in her words. She was being kind, not treacherous. Now, he was sure of it. She was staring back at him and noticed the spark of hope her words had brought to his eyes. It made her feel warm inside for some reason and she couldn't quite place it yet.

"Very well," Blaze replied. "I shall take you up on that offer."

Aquila swam away from the bank and slipped into the lake below. Blaze looked around; hoping that she'd pop out in another place but for a few minutes, there was no sign of her. Then, the water began churching and swirling in circles in the centre of the lake and then, a red snake-like pokemon towered over with Aquila sitting securely on his head. He flapped open his giant fins that gave an impression of wings and then swam over to the bank and lowered his head.

"Who is this!?" Blaze gasped, taking a step back.

His eyes widened at what he witnessed. Its serpent-like body resembled a Gyarados, of that he was sure. The rest, it was new to him. It wasn't even his odd coloring that surprised him. It was his bulkier built and fins, elongated over his neck and falling all the way down its back.

"It is a Gyarados silly!" Aquila giggled, amused at his astonishment. "Though he is a bit special. Do get on his back. He won't harm you."

Prince Blaze stood there for a second, his vision fixed on Gyarados and his jaw hanging in awe. He was able to disregard this for now and jumped onto the pokemon's head next to the queen and sat down.

"This will require you to hold your breath," Aquila informed him. "I don't suppose your kind can breath underwater. But not to worry. It won't take long with Gyarados."

He nodded in acknowledgement.

"Let us be off then," she commanded her subject.

The Gyrados gave a roar and then dived below into the blue. Once underwater, his speed was boosted to an extraordinary rate, faster than a Zebstrika on a mountainous terrain. He extended his large fins, blocking out the view from either sides of Prince Blaze. At several occasions, he caught a glimpse of the Goldeen, Seaking, Remoraid and Magikarp swimming around him. The pressure of holding his breath was getting to him and he found it impossible to hold it longer. And then, he saw it. It appeared to be a crystal chasm and from its transparent wall, an underwater castle and a pokemon kingdom could be observed. This was all so new to the fire pokemon and left him speechless and baffled beyond words.

The Gyarados entered this crystal chasm from a small opening, bring the two royals into the Kingdom of Aquanesia. Aquila was the first to jump off, landing quickly on her paws. She shook her fur free from any moisture, fluffing it up nicely. She then turned around to face her guest from Frere only to see Blaze still holding his breath, his face pale with the lack of oxygen.

"You can breathe now!" She said hastily.

Unsure of what she meant, Blaze exhaled and then sucked in a lungful of air.

"I CAN BREATHE!" He exclaimed. Aquila laughed at this. He clearly wasn't aware of the nature of Aquanesia Kingdom.

"Yes, you can," she said, walking away from the waiting Gyarados and on the route to the castle.

Blaze stood rooted in his spot for a while, taking in the view. The Gyarados snarled at Prince Blaze, snapping him out of his thoughts. He growled back in defense then hurried to follow Aquila.

This was a new world to the pokemon of Frere. He noticed that some pokemon, like marshtomb, Totodile, Kingler, Golduck and Poliwhirl were walking on their feet. While others such as Remoraid, Goldeen, Starmie, Huntail, Wishcash and Gorbyss were swimming easily within the fortifications of the chasm, floating in space. He shifted his gaze to the crystal walls surrounding the kingdom. He could clearly see the world outside the Kingdom of Aquanesia which was immersed deep within the lake. A huge Wailord passed outside the city, giving a loud wail as he swam by, leaving the Prince in a state of awe at the fantastic view of the giant pokemon which was nearly one-fourth the size of the entire kingdom. All this time, Aquila was looking at Blaze, taking in the pleasure of his bewilderment.

The Kingdom was bursting with colors of different seashells, gems, pearls and underwater pokemon swimming swiftly around or grumbling down on the ground and going about the streets of the underwater city which were made purely of pearls and marble. Blaze had never seen so many colors in his life. The castle ahead was encrusted with a thick layer of seashells and rare gems which were rumored to be a childhood collection of Queen Aquila herself when she was a princess. All of this failed to dominate his confusion over the fact that he, a land pokemon, could breathe underwater. Aquila had all the answers. All he had to do was ask.

"I believe explanations are in order," he stated, walking easily in steps with Queen Aquila.

"I can explain alright," she said, walking with him. "You see, we worship Palkia. He is the creator of dimensions and keeps the space stable. In this part of our dimension, he distorted the space, leaving it in this state to allow all pokemon, water or not, to breathe underwater."

It took a while to wrap his head around this strange piece of information but Blaze eventually took her for her words. Palkia had deliberately distorted this part of the dimension to enable pokemon to reside underwater. _Incredible!_ He thought. _Legendary pokemon are powerful above all!_

By now, the two of them had reached the castle. Entering the castle, Blaze was introduced to a million kinds of vegetations he had never seen. He couldn't help but run over to them and run his paws over the soft petals. It was an amazing sensation to feel something soft after years of living on hard rock. Aquila smiled from behind. This Prince surely belonged to some faraway place that she was dying to learn of. But for now, she'd have to let the prince get used to his surroundings before she could ask any of her questions.

"Follow me," she said alluringly and he was enchanted once again.

She thrashed her tail and took to the water surrounding her and began to swim towards the castle gates. Blaze had to run to keep up and ended up chasing after her till they had reached the throne room. The throne room was a brilliant blue with Sapphire pillars inside it, decorated with the rarest types of pearls from Clamperl and Prussian blue curtains in constant movements with the waves in Aquanesia. Blaze couldn't hide his excitement.

"Your world is so beautiful!" He gasped. Aquila laughed slightly at this statement.

"I'm sure your world is beautiful too." She replied, sitting down on a chaise longue, spreading her tail like a mermaid.

He took the bench opposite to her, blushing a deep red which was not quite visible against his blazing orange pelt. _Why do I feel this way, looking at her?_ He asked himself, looking into Aquila's eyes and watching her stare back into his.

"No, it's not beautiful at all," he grumbled, breaking the eye contact. "It's nothing but rocks and lava."

Aquila sat up, excitement radiating from her face.

'I'd like to hear more!" she exclaimed.

Realizing they were just as fervent to learn about each other world, he smiled and began.

 **In a desert between Blitz Kingdom and Frere kingdom:**  
It was quiet. Too quiet. The silence in the desert plain had prolonged for hours and not a single pokemon could be seen. They had all deserted the location because they knew of the events the evening sun would bring upon this desert land. In a matter of few hours, the ground would be soaked with blood and littered with dead pokemon who would die in the name of their king and their legendary. By the time of the night, not a single living creature would be found within a 10 mile radius or so. Indeed, a battle ground is the most dreadful sight, even for the merciless desert wanderers, the sandslash and Geodude who had forsaken their land and were on migrations to find a new place to reside.

The Sun was low, indicating that night was fast approaching. With it, two armies were charging at each other from opposite directions. Two types, two nations, one aim: To do as their legendary commanded.

From the East side, The Blitz army was approaching, led by Prince Volt. The army consisted of many Luxray and Manetric who seemed to be more in number than the others. The remaining were Electrivire, Gorventula and Eelektross. They each had filed up according to their respective species, led by Volt and Pacharisu who walked ahead. The electric pokemon were charging up their powers, running the electrical energy down their bodies, their muscles tensed and hyped for action. The Electrivire were stretching themselves and flexing their arms and legs, ready to squash the first fire pokemon they could get a hold of and then electrocute them to death.

From the west side was the army of Frere approaching. Their army was much larger than that of Blitz kingdom with much tougher looking pokemon. The army was in files of Magmortar, Darmanitan and Ninetales. On the either side of the army, a herd of Rapidash was marching along while holding their heads high, their sharp horns glinting in the setting sun. The King Arcanine and Fennekin walked a little ahead with a diamond-shape formed around them from the male Pyroar walking on all four side of him for the protection of their king. The female Pyroar followed close behind, their claws sharpened to tear any pokemon from limb to limb. The armies arrived close to the battle area and stopped a few meters away from each other. Volt took a good look at his opponent's force, taking in the view of the dangerous looking fire-types and allowing the tension that prevailed in the otherwise lifeless desert to sink in.

"It doesn't matter if they are more in number right?" Pachirisu stated, looking eagerly up at Volt who was breathing heavily, bracing himself.

"No," he replied. "It does not."

Deep inside, he knew he came to lose but beating such a huge army would strengthen the image of the Blitz Kingdom so the Prince had a change of heart. He'd beat the Frere Kingdom. Sapphire's fate had been sealed the moment the army was put under his charge. He would retrieve her, then kill her and blame the Frere Pokemon. It would not matter what would come after that. The dead cannot be brought back and he would have won either way.

Without a warning, Volt raised the cry to begin the battle. "In the name of Zekrom!" He yelled at the top of his lungs which was followed by passionate howls and cries of the electric pokemon who charged up at the Frere pokemon.

They were not unprepared to say in the least. "In the Name of Reshiram!" They shrieked, equally loud. Both the armies merged into a single crowd and began attacking those of the opposing army.

The Ninetales charged up at the Manetric, their jaws tight, holding in the flames that threatened to burst out at any second. They unleashed the move in the form of Flamethrower towards the Manetric. They made use of Quick attack and zigzagged between the flames of the ninetales and tackled them. A few Ninetale foresaw this and jumped in time. Then whirling in the air, they countered with a Flame wheel, hitting several of the Mentric with the move.

The Luxray charged their manes with electricity, making them appear twice their actual size, almost the size of the Pyroar in the opposing army. Their mane was now sharp as daggers with the amount of electricity surging through them. With this, they Wild charged towards the Darmanitan, giving them a painful whack with their heads and then electrocuting them with thunderbolts and discharge before any had a chance to regain their posture. Their heavy weight and small legs were partly to blame for the disadvantage.

Arcanine was advancing fast into the Blitz's area of the battlefield, the Pyroar following him. They used overheat and Fire fang on the Manetric who attempted to stop Arcanine and Fennekin moving ahead. Looking forward, duos of large electrivire were fast approaching.

"Take care of those two!" A male Pyroar ordered four of the female ones.

Without needing any further explanation, they charged at the Electrivire, claws ready for a quick grasp. Pouncing on to their hard bodies, the Pyroar clung to them, making the heavy beasts fall on their backs. Little else was seen as the Pyroar unleashed incinerate and it's obvious that the two were burnt to ashes.

Arcanine himself was holding up a flamethrower, moving it around to attack the Blitz Pokemon. Many fell on the ground and were crushed under the feet of other pokemon, breaking their legs in the process.

In the distance, The Luxray were dashing towards the Radpidash who were galloping towards them with their heads held high, ready to allow their attacked to grab their necks. The Luxray relaxed at this sight as they believed their claws would make a quick work of the worthless Rapidash but as soon as they got close, they realized their folly. The Rapidash lowered their necks and the Luxray went headfirst into the horns. The horns pierced the Luxray straight in the head and they died, dangling from the horns. With a rear and a violent swish of their head and fiery mane, the rapidash disposed off their carcass and charged towards the approaching Manetric. The Manetric however, stopped in mid track. Digging their claws into the ground for a firm grip, they unleashed a heavy dose of thunderbolt with all the electricity they had been holding back, electrocuting nearly half of the Rapidash to death, the rest falling on the desert ground, crippled to death by Darmanitan and Electrivire combating in a fist fight.

The Gorventula were suffering the most at the hands of the Magmortar who would crush the pokemon under their giant feet and fire them with their canon like arms, burning them to bits before they even reached the pokemon. The Frere army was winning so far.

"Your highness!" Pachirisu said, panting for breath as he climbed the prince's head and fired a discharge at a Ninetales in mid air who was going to pounce on the prince with her claws. "We are losing!"

Volt was frustrated. He charged up the electricity in his body one last time and sent thunderbolt in all four directions, hitting plenty of Ninetales and two of the Magmortar. He watched them crumple to the ground lifelessly. A few Manetric were hit but they only benefitted from this using their Lightning rod ability.

"Manetric!" He growled. 'I'm going after their King! Cover me!"

Volt dashed through the battle field with his quick attack, covering ground and zigzagging through the claws and attacks of other Frere Pokemon. A few Magmortar attempted to shoot him with their Fire Blast moves but the attacks missed Volt completely who was nothing but a yellow blur and it went whizzing around the field until few of the Gorventula were badly hit. They fell to the earth in excruciating pain, crying for help from the pokemon who were too ignorant to give any.

"King Arcanine!" The male Pyroar exclaimed, attacking a few approaching Electrivire with their hyperbeam which send them flying half way across the battle field. They were up on their feet in a matter of seconds and turning around, they fired Thunder shock at the King and his guards.

A pyroar was badly hit and he collapsed on the ground, leaving the king with fewer protectors surrounding him. By now, he had lost two of the male Pyroar and three of the female ones who had dispersed in the chaos, fighting the Manetric. This was alarming.

"I'm calling reinforcements!" Arcanine growled.

He stopped dead in his track from running. The Pyroar stood around him, using Flame wheels to keep all the pokemon away. Arcanine dug his claws into the ground below that was now soaked with blood. Closing his eyes, he looked into the sky and howled loudly. The voice could be heard for miles. The Blitz Pokemon stopped, listening for what was coming their way. They heard the ground rumbling, followed by faint growls and grunting and then, above the hillside, they could see a small battalion of Charizard approaching from the air! A last resort had been pulled up.

King Arcanine had this batch waiting in case they needed extra help. The Charizard hovered high in the sky and showered fire using Flamethrowers at the Blitz Pokemon who began to run around for their lives, giving up hope. Volt noticed his army members retreating. Frustrated beyond his temper, he quickly gave orders.

"Eelektross! Electrocute them!"

The Eelektross went on ahead and dodging the fire showers, they unleashed their thunderbolts towards the sky, catching a few Charizard off guard in the mid air. The held up the thunderbolt for a few minutes and when they finally released it, the Charizard crashed to the ground, crushing a few Manetric under their weight. The remaining Charizard were soaring through the air, firing the fire balls whenever they had a chance and flying through the electrical moves fired upwards in their direction from the Eelecktross. The battle that ensued between these two pokemon was the fiercest and neither side showed any sign of diminishing strength, stamina or speed.

Prince Volt gave out an aggravated howl, sending bolts of electricity into the ground around him. A few combatants felt the vibe below their feet and knew that worst was yet to come.

"Pachirisu! Back off now!" he ordered and the pokemon got down from his head, knowing that Volt was going to try something reckless. "And tell the Manetric to advance towards the Pyroar!"

Volt shook his entire body and stretched his paws and closed his eyes. Then he ran an intense amount of electricity through his veins and into his fur, sharpening it into many swords.

When he opened his eyes, he looked murderous. In a flash, he jumped into the sky and dove for the ground below, digging his way down and out of sight of any of the other pokemon. Digging about, he began to feel for the heavy footsteps he would recognize. He knew that Arcanine was surrounded by many Pyroar and their steps would be the loudest combined with those of the Manetric close by, ready for the attack. He was right. In matter of a few minutes, he could almost feel a royal presence above him.

Without wasting another second, he dashed upwards, his back first towards the surface and emerged right below King Arcanine, his sword-like fur slicing into the King's belly and to his heart. The Pyroar gasped as they were caught off guard when their king was attacked and the Manetric seized the opportunity and used thunderbolts on the Pyroar, electrocuting them until they fell down and fainted from the shock.

Arcanine lay on the ground, bleeding and gasping for air. His body was burning with pain but he had known this from the start so he wasn't going to waste his time question his life. He looked up at volt whose fur was stained with his blood.

"W-What did we e-ever do to y-ou?" Arcanine asked through his gasps. Volt smiled down at the dying king.

"Same old questions," he snarled, showing his fangs.

Then he bit the bleeding king in the neck, giving him a sharp slash. Arcanine struggled like a mad dog, thrashing his hind legs and paws wildly in pain for a good 10 minutes, and then his body went limp. Volt released the dead King from his jaws, panting for breath, blood dribbling down from his fangs. He looked down at his accomplishment. Arcanine was lying lifeless at his feet with blood pouring out of his jaws, his eyes closed and his wounds on the belly and neck still bleeding with fresh blood. Volt howled like a victor that he was.

A cry was raised in the Frere army that the king had been killed. Immediately, there was an outbreak of movements as the fire pokemon began to retreat the battle field, running for their lives and leaving behind their injured. The Blitz pokemon stopped their attacks and returned to their camps.

"Your Highness!" Pachirisu said, catching up with Volt. He stopped low on his knees, panting for breath while at the same time, trying to avoid his eyed from the horrible vision of the dead Frere King who died a gruesome death. "Shall we proceed into Frere Volcano?"

"No," Volt said sternly. "If Sapphire indeed is in Frere Kingdom, I do not want her back. We return and inform the king that she was not here after all."

Pachirisu couldn't help but pity the poor King Arcanine who died defending his kingdom while Prince Volt had let the entire battle go in vain, sacrificing the lives of many, all for a want of common sense. He shook his head and followed the Prince like the little royal adviser he was, never to have his own voice.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading. Until next time.**


	12. Queen of Aqua

**Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon.**

 **I also apologize in advance for any Grammar/spelling errors I missed.**

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

 **Meanwhile in Aquanesia:**

"I fail to understand your enthrallment with the underwater vegetation," Aquila sighed, walking along with Prince Blaze who was running around excitedly, inquiring about each type of flower he encountered. Blaze had spent his entire afternoon with Aquila all the while his brother was at war with the Blitz kingdom. They had talked about the Volcano of Frere and its extremely hot climate. Then they talked about his carefree life despite his royal status and Aquila had explained him her royal life of a Queen.

If Prince Blaze would have his way, he could have spent his entire life in Aquanesia. He had found it to be a wondrous heaven of freedom seekers, including him. No royal duties or responsibilities. The kingdom was safe. It was highly unlikely that the land pokemon knew how to swim and reach the city and even when they did, the city could always close their entrances.

Turning his attention to Aquila, he trotted up to her to join her, a big smile on his muzzle.

"We don't have these flowers in my kingdom," he told her. "I believe I told you before. I come from the far away land of the volcano of Frere. Its east of Blitz Kingdom and built on the igneous rock formed from the cooling of lava. Plants cannot grow on our hard grounds."

"You travelled from so far?" She asked, astonished. "What purpose did it serve you?"

Blaze sighed. This is exactly the question he had been trying to avoid since the moment he set his eyes of Aquila. He wondered if his brother was currently in the battle against the kingdom Reshiram had told them about. He quickly shook away the feeling, trying not to regret his decision.

"Freedom," he told Aquila, looking down at his feet, his paws making a soft thudding sound on the pearl grounds on the kingdom's gardens. He certainly didn't have such well-furnished flooring back in Frere. In fact, he vaguely remembered a few rough edges he had accidently sliced open his paws over in an attempt to run over them.

"Freedom?" Aquila asked, perplexed. "From what?"

"War," he told her solemnly. "My brother is the king of Frere who succeeded after our late father. He is currently at war with another kingdom."

"You didn't want to fight?" She asked, more puzzled by the answer. "Do you not feel pride in defending your kingdom?"

"It's not about pride," he argued, sitting down on one of the giant seashell benches. Trying to avoid her questioning eyes, he looked down and observed the plants grown around the bench. He moved his paws over the soft petals and plucked a few by accident. He wasn't used to delicate things. "I just don't want to take up my royal duties. I wonder how you put up with it."

"It wasn't a choice," she replied, taking the spot next to him and studying her fish-like tail, "after my parents died. I was forced to take up the position and become queen."

"Did they die in battle?" Blaze asked, turning to look at her now.

"No," Aquila replied, "an illness. One that was contagious as well as fatal."

Unlike Blaze, he did not look away from him as she answered this. Instead, she looked him straight in the eyes, strong and confident like a queen should be. She had made her peace with it, of this Blaze was sure. In this regard, the two were similar; having lost both their parents in one go. He could not help but feel sympathetic for her situation, vastly different from his in the absence of an heir to succeed before her. His sympathy of course was wasted on Aquila who had done a fine job in governing her kingdom.

"I am sorry for your loss," Blaze said, trying his best to conceal his sympathy with a sincere apology. "I, too, lost my parents. They both died in battle."

"Then I am sorry for your loss," Aquila replied, nodding slightly. "Do you miss them?"

"Sometimes," Blaze replied, a soft smile forming on his muzzle as memories flashed through his mind.

"And is that why you don't want your brother to go to war?"

Blaze could only manage a single nod in answer, the smile instantly wiped off his face as he was brought back to reality. This time, his heart felt lighter. Having confided in a new friend had helped the Prince. He felt a strange connection her, as if he could share all his secrets with her. Aquila could not deny that she felt the same. The two shared very similar positions and those who did not share their lifestyle could hardly comprehend. Aquila smiled at Blaze, an understanding smile. It was a smile that did not criticize his decision nor disapprove it. It simply understood how his heart felt. Blaze hadn't known he had needed that until he had seen her smile.

"Tell me," Aquila broke their silence. "What else is up there above the water?"

"There is Aerial kingdom," he replied, introducing a new kingdom now beside his own. "Has the Queen ever heard of it?" She smiled and shook her head and he went on to explain.

"It's the kingdom of the flying type," He explained. "Just like your kingdom is below the lake, it exists high in the sky, only to be reachable by the pokemon who can fly. Our Frere kingdom is in alliance with it."

"I see," she said. "I suppose it's beautiful."

"I wouldn't know that," he replied. "Even with our alliances, we were never granted permission to enter the kingdom itself. I do know that Aquanesia is an exquisite beauty. Especially the towers."

Aquila giggled. He had just complimented her architect without knowing. "I built them myself."

His eyes widened. "Really? With the work of your own hands?" He asked leaning in a bit. He hadn't expected Aquila to be the labor type. Rather, he considered her more of a lavish type, given her beauty that had captivated him since the moment he met her.

"When I was an Eevee," she explained. "I was allowed to roam the palace. I collected the seashells and rare stones that I found and called them my 'personal treasure.' I protected them with my life. When I was appointed queen, I had the towers built a day after my coronation and adorned with my own personal treasures. Some were merely shells while others contained mysterious powers."

"Mysterious powers you say?" he blinked, confusion replacing the fascination he had felt earlier. She nodded her head.

"You remember the Gyarados?' she asked. He nodded his head in response. "I exposed him to one of the stones and he turned into a mega gyarados."

"I have heard in history," Blaze informed her, "about special stones that can awaken special powers in certain pokemon. I suppose they are called mega evolution stones. We found one in Frere but we never discovered which pokemon it belonged to because none of the exposed pokemon evolved."

"I have many others of those sorts," she went on. "I have them in my personal treasury. None of the other pokemon ever evolved from them so I concluded they belonged to the land pokemon species."

Silence fell between the two royals. For a few minutes, the two just sat there, Aquila looking over to the group of small Finneon swimming amongst the anemones. Blaze was looking over to the walls of Aquanesia, his eyes fixed on the giant Wailord passing on the other side of the walls.

"It is almost dusk," Aquila sighed, following his gaze to the wailord. This was the third time the Wailord had passed and Prince Blaze had never once lost his appeal to it. It's not often that you see such large pokemon.

"How can you tell?" Blaze asked. "All I see is the deep blue lake above."

She laughed at this. "I have lived here for so long. I can tell."

"Wouldn't you like to go someplace else?" He asked her, twitching his ears.

"I would dearly," she sighed, looking down. Depression crossed her brows for a fraction of a second but it was enough to catch Blaze's attention. "But I have so many royal duties. Expectations. I don't have time on my hand."

Blaze looked away, thinking back to his own life. Unlike him, Aquila had it hard. He had easily handed the throne to his brother but she, she had to take the throne. _I wonder if she'd come to see the world above the surface with me?_ He thought.

"Do you think I did the right thing?" Blaze asked Aquila out of the blue, instantly grabbing her attention like a lillipup. "Forsaking my brother at the time of war?"

"To be honest," she answered. "I wouldn't like it if I had a trusted warrior and he abandoned be in a time of need. But you followed your heart and I don't suppose you can go wrong with that. No matter where you go in this world, you are bound to return home. I just hope it's not too late when you finally decide to."

 _She's right._ He thought. _I should go and apologize._

"I shall take my leave now," he said, getting off the seashell benches. She quickly copied his movements and was up on her paws with him. "I suppose I should return to my kingdom."

"You're leaving?" she asked, worried. _I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay. Or take me with you instead._ She thought. _Was this because of what I said?_

"I think I should," He sighed, walking in the direction of the exit to the castle. "I have to return to my brother and apologize for my acts. I just hope he forgives me."

He ran for the door. She quickly ascended into the lake water surrounding them. Her tail caught the movement of the water motion, giving her a speed that a land pokemon could not compete with.

"I'll take you there," she called out after him. Then she gave not a loud whistle with her nose. At first, Blaze didn't understand what she was trying to do, then from the opposite direction, he noticed a Mudkip swimming fast in their direction. Blaze panicked in his stepping, thinking the Mudkip was going to smash into him but he stopped right under his nose with such grace that in the end, it was the Prince who lost his balance and fell.

"This is Mudkip," Aquila introduced, trying to control her laugh as Blaze got back up on his paws. "He is my most trusted advisor who accompanies me on expeditions on land. I have another one but he is out for the day. Mudkip can be rather reckless too so don't mind him."

"Pleasure to make your Acquintance…." The Mudkip couldn't go on.

"Prince Blaze," he told him, blinking at the royal advisor. The Mudkip quickly fell into steps, formalities flooding his mind and he got on his knees.

"Your highness," Blaze laughed at the Mudkip and told him to rise.

"Swim as fast as you can and prepare my Gyarados," Aquila ordered him. "Our guest in about to leave."

He nodded once and then swam away quickly in a flurry of bubbles as the two royals began their walk on a much slower pace.

In a matter of few minutes, Blaze was ready to mount onto Gyarados and leave. Aquila was swishing her tail rapidly in anxiety, thinking of what to say as words of farewell in hopes that the Prince may return to her once again if not stay.

Gyarados lowered his red head, ready to allow Blaze to jump aboard. Blaze took a deep breath, ready to swim for the surface with the giant red dragon.

"Wait!" Aquila yelled, grabbing his attention before he could make the jump. He stopped and turned his head to her, worried about what she had to say.

"Do you promise?" she asked, the sadness of the parting clear in her eyes. "Do you promise to come back someday and show me your world?"

Blaze broke out into a smile at this. He had really hoped she would propose this idea. "He nodded his head and grinned. "I will," he promised and hoped on to the Gyarados.

He kept looking back to Aquila and Mudkip who observed as the Gyarados exited the kingdom walls and swam into the lake waters, Prince Blaze holding his breath. He smiled one last time at her and she waved him farewell with her tail, bubbles swirling around her movements.

"If I didn't know any better," The Gyarados snickered. "I think your heart has feelings for my lady."

Blaze felt like punching the Gyarados for making such a statement. A deep red crept up to his cheeks but was hidden under his orange fur once again. Upon reaching the surface, Blaze gasped for air while the Gyarados swam to the shore, depositing his guest on to the ground.

"Flames" Blaze protested, shaking his fur violently to get the water out after being recklessly thrown on the ground like a commoner. "What was that for?"

The Gyarados just turned around into the water and swam for the centre, slowly descending into the lake with every minute. Blaze titled his head at this sudden gesture. _What's wrong with him?_

"Make sure you keep your promise to my lady," The Gyarados warned in a hard and gruff voice without turning to face the prince. But this voice showed more emotions then Blaze had seen previously from the royal servant. "She may not ever admit it but I can tell she fancies you. She has buried all her true emotions behind those cheery laughter and fake smiles. In reality, she has had it hard and I believe you can help her face her inner fears."

Before Blaze could inquire further into the matter, the Gyarados disappeared below the lake waters. The water churched with the movements of his large fin and then, all was silent.

Blaze turned around to depart on his journey back to the Frere kingdom. It would be a long journey. _I wonder if Arcanine would forgive me._ He thought, running into the desert in the east direction.

He thought about Aquila on the way. The scenes of his promise kept replaying in his mind. He was definitely going to come back for her someday. Scurrying mindlessly, the Prince felt a warm feeling build up inside of him, making him feel lightheaded. There was a sudden skip to his step and whatever the reason of joy may be; the only thing he could keep straight was the thought of the magnificent and generous Queen Aquila. A smile broke out on his muzzle as he covered more distance without noticing. He had now reached the hilly areas which marked the beginning on the Blitz Kingdom. The kingdom was still a long way, but much closer now.

 _Is this what love is?_ He questioned himself, smiling like he had beaten the toughest warrior of an army in a battle; not that he would be happy to do that since he wasn't the fighting type. _She was so beautiful and her voice! Ahh! I await the day I would hear it again!_

Suddenly, the reality took its grip on his thought and he shook his head. _I can't think of her that way! She's a queen. I am but a Prince!_ Feeling a little depressed, he climbed over the low hills and leapt forward, finding his way around.

The journey had been a quiet one for now but the silence was to break soon. Prince Blaze heard a strange clicking noise. Alert, he perked up his ears and listened hard, taking up a battle stance while he was at it.

His heart did a sudden jump when the noise grew louder and he recognized it as a Rapidash's hooves. A rapidash jumped from behind a hill and galloped in his direction. Prince Blaze started towards the Rapidash and halted right in his path. He stood up on his hind legs, making the Rapidash rear with a loud neigh as he recognized the lost prince.

Regaining his posture, the Rapidash bowed to the Prince who was in no mood for a formal greeting. "What are you doing here?"

"Fleeing your highness," The rapidash reported in a hasty voice filled with fear. "We had a war against Blitz Kingdom! King Arcanine was killed!"

At the sound of his brother's name, Blaze's eyes widened. For a second, he couldn't contain himself, refusing to accept it as truth. He quickly snapped himself out of it and leapt up on to the Rapidash's neck. Digging his claws into the off-white neck of the horse, he made him rear and give out a loud neigh in pain.

"Head for Frere! Now!" Blaze ordered angrily and the Rapidash took off in the direction he had come from, galloping wildly while keeping his horn down in defense. Blaze peered from between his fiery mane, his eyes fixed on the grounds that kept expanding with every second. He kept his eye out for any bodies that would indicate the location of the battle field.

Even with the Rapidash, it nearly took all night for the pair to arrive at their destination. With the aid of the Rapidash, Blaze immediately recognized the battlefield by the horrible envision of the aftermath. Blood stained bodies of pokemon littered the desert, electric and fire alike. Blaze wanted to throw up at the view. He quickly leapt off the Rapidash who fled around, away from the battlefield, only this time, in the direction of Frere.

Quickly scampering around like a mad Mightyena, Blaze darted his eyes from pokemon to pokemon, trying to avoid the horrible vision of death all the while, searching for Arcanine.

It wasn't long either. Somewhere between the dead Pyroar, he found the body of his brother. Tears well up in his eyes the instant the sight came into view.

Blaze staggered, ready to fall to his feet but managed to keep himself upright as he slowly made his way to his brother, bathed in blood with his eyes closed. The wound on his neck was quite large and his belly had been cut open. Stepping into the small puddle of blood around his brother, he looked closely.

"Arcanine?" He mumbled, moving closer. He put his front paws onto the dirty mane of the king and shook his neck. 'Come on, get up."

Not ready to accept his brother's death, he grabbed hold of Arcanine's ear in his teeth and pulled hard. "You have to get up! You promised to be there for me!" He screamed, tears now flooding down his face like an everlasting waterfall. He brought his muzzle close to Arcanine's face, sniffing for his scent. All he could smell was the blood.

Blaze broke out, howling in grief. He rolled beneath Arcanine's lifeless paw and snuggled close to his body, weeping. The fact that his fur was now covered in his own brother's blood did not even cross his mind. The only thing he could grasp was that his brother was gone and he was to blame.

"I-I'm so s-sorry!" H sobbed, nuzzling his dead brother. "If only I stayed! You would have been still alive!" His tail fell limp to his side and his eyes were as red as the blood that had stained the grounds from crying hard. He didn't even remembering crying this hard on the sad demise of his own father and mother.

He laid there for what felt like forever to him until he heard a low moan. It was a female voice, begging for help. Collecting himself, he stood up and crept out from beneath his brother's paws and looked about, searching for the owner of that voice. It sounded vaguely familiar but all the coughs between the pleas for help kept it under question.

"Where are you?" he mumbled weakly, staggering around the area, looking for the pokemon.

"Prince Blaze?" The voice rasped, misery clear in its coughs. Blaze's eyes widened. He quickly hurried around in the direction of the voice, searching frantically for his best friend. He recognized the voice. It was Fennekin.

He found her lying wounded on the field. A manetric laid next to her, his paw stretched out over her tiny body as if he had attempted to protect her when the grand finale came. Blaze hurried to her side and lowered his head, nudging her pale pace as she lay with her eyes closed. He wanted to pull her away from the Manetric.

'Fennekin! Please tell me you are alright?" he said, continuously nudging her with his nose. She opened her eyes slightly and looked up at the Prince and saw how worried he was for her. For a second there, the barrier between a servant and a royal vanished and she felt equal to him.

'You came back!" she said in her weakened state, struggling to get the few words out. 'The fight wasn't in vain after all!"

He breathed a sigh of relief at the sound of her voice. He pulled her out from beneath the manetric's grasp. Using the force of his body, he tried to help her on her paws.

"He helped me," she said, looking down at the dead manetric.

"Why do we have to fight like savages in the name of the royals? Can't we all just live like pokemon that we are?"

"Those were his last words," She sobbed as she quoted him. Blaze moved his paw over to the Manetric and closed his open eyes in respect, humming a silent prayer for him from Reshiram.

Fennekin coughed, staggering on her weakened legs. She was very badly wounded and her hind leg was probably broken from the impact of the fall when the Manetric tried to save her from an attack. All this didn't deny the fact that Blaze was happy she was alive. "King Arcanine led the battle against them. And then we were defeated with the loss of our king."

"Blitz shall pay someday," he murmured, leading the Fennekin away from the horrible sight of the dead that surrounded them.

* * *

 _Sapphire found herself in a strange world. She looked around to find that everything around her was frozen solid. Even the ground below her paws was frozen solid. Fear took birth in her heart which she immediately related to her exile._

 _Icy winds began to blow her blue fur and she shivered in cold despite being an ice pokemon herself. The place had an eerie feeling to it and nothing about it seemed right. The only path was the one ahead. She took a step forward and immediately slipped o the frozen ice, smacking her chin hard on the broken ground._

 _She tried to get back up with the icy winds pushing her down. She struggled to stay upright on all four. She began to tread carefully along the frozen path between the glaciers that surrounded her._

' _Sapphire," she heard a soothing yet dangerous voice. Her eyes widened and now she couldn't tell if she was shivering from fear or cold. She twitched her ears to left and right, trying to grasp a voice again. She could hear it but it sounded far away for the next couple of minutes. Who else was there in this frozen world beside her?_

' _Sapphire, I'm here," it called. "Come to me."_

 _She panicked. She immediately began running down the frozen ice path like a lunatic and slipped. She slid the rest of the way forward, spinning around in circles._

 _She lost control of her movements. The harder she tried to stop, the faster she slid across the ice. She screamed in fear and desperation as exhaustion washed over her. She felt dizzy and nauseous and yet, never more alive. It felt like a piece that had been missing from her for a long time had returned to her and now that it was right in front of her, she couldn't feel it in her grasp, nor find it at its roots. It was a strange feeling that could not be put into words._

" _HELP ME!" She screamed into the empty space. She crashed into a frozen glacier that marked the end of the path and hit her head hard against the frozen ice, falling limp on the ground. She laid there for a few minutes, letting the pain die out before attempting to get back up._

" _Sapphire, get up," the voice commanded, louder than ever. She snapped her eyes open, all her senses sharpening at that voice. That voice? She had never heard it. Yet, it felt like it was as much part of her as she was of it._

" _You must get up, Princess," The voice ordered. She staggered to her wobbly feet and then looked up at the Glacier. The voice seemed to be coming from the giant Glacier on the dead end._

 _She shook her head and looked at the glacier. It was larger than the ones that she had seen earlier before her memory had gone blur._

" _SAPPHIRE!" She heard someone yell out her name.. Her heart jumped up in her throat at the sound of the voice. It was plain horror to be subjected to this and at the same time, to shield the truth that she needed to know._

 _A loud thud from the other side of the Glacier made her squeak. She jumped back, ready to dash off back in the direction she had arrived. Only then did she realize that there was someone inside the Glacier, not the other side; probably trapped or incased in its ice walls. Letting her curiosity be her guide, she slowly treaded towards the Glacier._

" _Hello?" she mumbled, stuttering with her voice. "Who goes there?"_

 _Another loud thud was heard and she took another step back. She saw a giant hand against the crystal walls of the Glacier from the other side. Shock was written all over her pretty features now._

 _The grey claws on the hand alone were far larger than her entire body. They scaled down, making a loud piercing sound against the frozen ice as it cracked under the force applied on it. Sapphire put her paws up and brought her ears down against her face, trying to block out the dreadful voice._

' _Sapphire, you must come to me," he ordered, removing the hand. It disappeared behind the Glacier. Forgetting her fear, Sapphire rushed towards the glacier and put forth her own front paws, standing up on her hind legs and frantically searching for the owner of the hand. All she saw was frozen ice._

" _Who are you?" she practically screamed the question. 'Answer me! Are you the one who knows the answers to my questions?"_

" _Sapphire," he said, much calmer now, abolishing her fears. "You must find me. You are special. Never forget that."_

" _How can I find you?" She yelled. "Please! I need guidance!"_

 _The voice appeared to laugh for a second and that too was hollow, reminding her of the Umbreon prince, Skull._

" _How am I special!?" She asked, pounding her paws on the glacier, demanding answers that no one else could provide her. 'WHAT DOES EVERYONE MEAN BY THAT!?"_

 _She was brought to tears. The voice now seemed pitiful._

" _Find me. Quick," he told her, putting forth a single claw and sliding it down on the glacier from the other side. Sapphire followed it with her paw. "You must find me quickly, Princess! The world depends on you!"_

The scenery around her titled and faded away.

"WAIT! PLEASE!" She called out to the voice she had heard. Everything around her faded and she found herself waking from up from a dream.

Sitting up, she gasped for air, scared to death by the dream. She had remembered every bit of it. The voice, its words, they all haunted her now.

For now, this was least of her worries. She could hear voices of the pokemon outside the room and their manner of speaking was enough to confirm that something in Darkus was wrong.


	13. Battle of Past

**Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon.**

 **I also apologize in advance for any Grammar/spelling errors I missed.**

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

 _What on earth is going on?_ Glace asked herself, rubbing her eyes with a paw as she groggily walked to the door of her room and opened it. Any sleep left in her eyes was quickly forgotten at the sight of various pokemon running around the corridor from both directions, talking with each other with a solemn expression. She could sense the urgency and suddenly, it just hit her. _Does this mean they are going for war with Aurora kingdom!?"_

Without stopping to recollect the memories of her dream, she swiftly walked through the corridors towards the main court and then to the throne room. He tail and ears were lashing about wildly, occasionally coming in collision with the pokemon running in the hustle and bustle as they threw and caught various objects that were to be taken along in the battle field.

The sight of the throne room was no different except for the fact that there were much fewer pokemon there. Eight Liepard were standing in a line next to the red carpet that led to the throne. They were sitting with their backs straight, paws held out to be sharpened by a Nuzleaf on a rapidly spinning machine.

The Umbreon Prince stood on the opposite corner of the room. A Bisharp was putting on his gold armor. A golden band was put on each of Skull's ears and tail and gold bands were on his paws too, nearly covering his entire legs except for the upper part. As the Nuzleaf moved away to assist the others in sharpening the claws of the noble Liepard, Glace approached Prince Skull. He saw her and gave her a smile, as if reassuring her about his return, a subject which was not troubling her.

Prince Skull turned to walk to the balcony to avoid the commotion in his otherwise peaceful throne room. He motioned her to follow him with his tail and she did so, not simply because he was the prince and could not be rejected but because she wouldn't have liked anything else at the moment.

Skull put forth his front paws on the edge of the balcony and leaned forward, breathing in the silence that had fell upon his empire. Glace took her position beside him, only she didn't lean on the balcony but rather kept her four paws firmly on the ground.

"The silence before a war," he commented, smirking. She followed his gaze down to the city below. There were very few pokemon in sight from that altitude. The activity in the kingdom was not the usual busy one. In fact, the city sort of looked abandoned with the little number of pokemon that could be seen.

"You said you were worried about the Aurora kingdom," she said, trying to mind her tone with the Prince. She had to keep her expressions straight while conversing with him.

"Yes, I am," he said. "They are the kingdom of Psychic types. I am worried about Lady Esperanza."

"Who is this lady Esperanza you speak of?" She asked, looking at the Prince now. His gaze was still fixed to the city below. Outside the castle, she could already see the army nobles assembling themselves to march to the battlefield.

"Esperanza was a dear friend of mine," He told her, stealing her attention from the gathering army. "There was a time when I was in love with her and she was in love with me," He paused and sighed.

Glace waited for him to go on, but when he didn't, she concluded that it was all he was willing to offer on the subject. She tried not to inquire deeper into the story despite her curious nature. She hadn't confided in him about her past. The least she could do was respect his privacy. She sealed her queries in her heart.

"I would like to make a request," she said, turning to look down just like he was.

"Oh," he replied. "What does lady Glace please?"

"I would like to accompany you to the battlefield," she said sadly. It was an odd request for a pokemon whose experience in fighting was next to none.

"You do know that it is extremely dangerous and highly unadvisable for a lady," he said, blinking disbelievingly at her request. For the first time ever, Glace had managed to baffle the Prince.

"Yes, I do know that," she replied a little aggressively but he decided to let it pass. The gravity of the situation didn't leave any allowance for a personal argument. "I would still like to go with you."

He stared at her, his eyes boring into hers. For a second, she was absolutely sure that he was going to reject this request but then, his expression softened and he nodded. "Yes, you may come. But you must stay by my side."

Glace felt a blush creeping up to her cheek. She quickly activated the icy powers in her and froze the veins in her face before they could carry the blood to her cheeks and turn them a sharp crimson. Because of that, she couldn't smile up at him and she simply nodded, making him believe that she was serious about the situation altogether, which he ended up admiring silently within himself.

Almost an hour later, Prince Skull, accompanied by Glace on his left and Absol on his right and the Liepard, was walking towards the army. After reaching in the front line, they began to walk outside the city.

"How do you know they are coming to fight you?" Glace asked.

"One of our spies reported them advancing towards our territory from the Northern side," he told her, looking ahead to the plains. He walked much faster than usual and the warriors behind him copied his movements. "We are moving in defense. If we don't fight now, I'm afraid they might move to our kingdom to conquer it altogether and add it to their territory."

Glace didn't ask any further questions. The walk seemed to take hours to reach the battlefield. At first, they were walking along on the desert plains. Slowly, Glace began to feel the ground below her paws grow soft and moist and she could see little signs of vegetation. Soon enough, the vegetation began to grow and she found herself to be walking on a grassy prairie. The feeling of the soft grass beneath her paw pads was soothing. Wide grasslands stretched for miles ahead of them, their end only to be marked by the growing hills which marked the beginning of the Aurora Kingdom's territory. It was a shame that such a beautiful prairie was going to be showered with blood by the end of the day.

Prince Skull knew that these grasslands were much more beautiful and lush on the other side but that was the territory of his former love. He had visited the Aurora kingdom often but that too, was a really long time ago. That was when he and Queen Esperanza were together. He sighed as an image of her face drifted into his mind.

The Darkus army consisted mostly of mightyena, houndoom and Bisharp. Other than this, there were a few numbers of Zoroark and Mandibuzz as well. The army wasn't a very large one but given its pokemon, it looked fit enough for a war.

Prince Skull's gaze was fixed on the horizon where he knew that Aurora kingdom's army was approaching. Glace followed the direction of his gaze and narrowed her eyes. It was faint, but she could see a large number of pokemon approaching.

Soon enough, she could make out the pokemon that were approaching. The pokemon she saw were not psychic type, but actually an entirely different type altogether. Glace darted her eyes around from left to right in hopes of catching at least on psychic type amongst them but there were none.

The Aurora army was entirely made of ice pokemon. The most prominent of these were the Froslass, poloswine ad Beartic. A few larger ice-types such as Abomasnow and Aurorus could also be seen dotting the massive group. Just like the Zoroark in the darkus army, these were very few in number.

"How come they are not psychic?" Glace turned her head to Skull to ask him.

"The Aurora kingdom is united with Glacier kingdom by a bond stronger than friendship," he said, slightly amused. He hadn't expected less. 'Marriage."

"Marriage?" Glace said, perking up her ears in confusion.

"Em hm," he replied. "Queen Esperanza is married to the Glacial Kingdom's king. Since Psychic type is immune to our dark-type abilities, she adopted the strategy to 'borrow' an army from Glacial kingdom."

Prince Skull did not look impressed but he did not seem to disapprove entirely of the strategy either but the way he said 'borrow' made is sound despicable. Sapphire could not tell if it was the idea of knowing that his love had married another that crossed him or the fact that this kingdom was in no position to be challenging Darkus given its dependent status and still chose to do so.

The armies now stood facing each other, each of the pokemon ready for a brutal kill or a gruesome death, which ever may they achieve first.

It was Absol who led out the battle cry. "In the name of Giratina!"

The Darkus army immediately fell upon the Aurora army. The noises and cries were released and the pokemon attacked each other like vile outlaws.

The Mightyena charged towards the poliswine and Beartic, hoping to make a quick kill with their jaws and claws. A mightyena pounced on to a beartic but was immediately caught in mid-air by the giant and swung back into his comrades. They collapsed on the grassy terrain but were immediately up and this time, attacking with their claws out front.

Three of them attacked a single beartic. He managed to grab hold of one of them but the other two were on his back, clinging to him and digging their claws into his white fur, staining it with the bright red that oozed out from the fresh wounds. One of them bit him hard in the neck. The Beartic howled and shook himself violently, trying to overthrow the Mightyena but he was successful in putting an end to him.

The Piloswine were charging towards the Bisharp, steam puffing out of their noses in aggression. The agile pokemon made a few swift jumped and landed on the backs of the Piloswine, riding them around the battlefield. All efforts to throw the Bisharp off were in vain and they kept swiping them with metal claws, making a quick kill of many of them in the first few minutes of the fight.

A single Piloswine was able to use earthquake, causing the ground below the Bisharp to break. They fell into the giant crack that opened in the ground and swallowed them, their bodies now buried in this battlefield. A few manage to jump in time to avoid falling into the crack and landed back down just when it disappeared. The only thing left of the dead bishrap was the small puddles of blood that had gushed out of their bodies when they were crushed.

Meanwhile, the houndoom had charged at the froslass. They attacked them with dark impulse, aiming at them from a few meters away but their attacks were quickly rendered useless by the forslass's frost breath which froze their moves in mid air and left them largely ineffective as the ice shattered. The frosslass dashed towards those houndoom, a giga impact ready at their fists. The Houndoom made a swift dodge, and then, grabbing the Froslass by their lower part of kimono with their teeth, they slammed them face-first into the ground and began to dig their fangs into their throats. A single Froslass was able to manage a Blizzard, causing the Houndoom to fall back on their heels and allowing a few of the froslass to recover. They further countered with ice beams, freezing those houndoom on spot into solid ice.

The Zoroak and Abowmasnow were head on head with each other, their claws intertwined with each other as the brutes tried to overthrow each other. A Zoroak was able to throw an Abomasnow on his back. The overwieght pokemon couldn't get up, giving the Zoroark and opportunity to finish him off with a Night Slash. At the same time, another Zoroark was head to head with another Abowsnow. The Abowsnow gave a deadly blow to the Zoroark, causing him to retreat. The Abowsnow unleashed a wood hammer. The Zoroark fell to the ground but with his agile movements, he was able to swipe his legs below the Abowsnow's feet, causing him to stumble forward onto the grounded Zoroark. He held up his claws which were immediately plunged into the Abowmasnow's heart as he fell on the Zoroark, crushing him to death under his weight as a consequence.

Prince Skull was advancing fast into the Aurora territory, striking a serious blow with his dark impulse on the attackers. Glace on his side was using ice shards as much as she could to throw off most of the attackers but her moves were hardly any good. The liepard ran alongside their king, using hone claws and aerial ace on the Aurora army pokemon to get them out of their way in order to keep moving forward

 _Where is she?_ Umbreon Prince grumbled, gritting his teeth as he let loose a night slash onto a beartic. He signaled to the Liepard to disperse into the battlefield, leaving him and Glace alone together in the middle of a chaotic situation.

Absol had fallen far behind when he decided to take down an Aurorus who had managed to kill three of the Liepard that were accompanying the group. Currently, he was at the pokemon with the blade on his head plunged deep into the Aurorus's neck. The Aurorus died on spot and Absol landed easily on his paws as the giant pokemon fell to the ground with a heavy thud, shaking the ground under his weight and causing a few combating bisharp and froslass to lose their balance. Absol dashed around the field, killing many pokemon as he searched for Prince Umbreon.

On the other hand, Skull and Glace were still running around the battle field, searching for someone apparently only Skull knew of.

Out of nowhere, Skull felt a sharp pain begin to form inside his head. The pain grew to an excruciating level, forcing him to crumble on his knees.

"AHHH!" He cried, kneeling on his front paws and closing his eyes tightly. It was illogical because so far, no pokemon had been able to even touch him, let alone wound him.

Glace leaned herself over to the Prince anxiously. "Prince Skull! Are you alright?!"

He howled in the unexplainable pain, a paw to his head as he tried to feel for some kind of cut on the back of his neck. He gave himself several scratches with his own claws while he knelt from the growing pain. Glace put forth her paw on his, moving it away and pushing the Prince to lie down.

The Liepard, noticing their prince, came to his defense and surrounded him in a circle, keeping the attackers away. They unleashed hyper beams and held up their moves, moving it around to the pokemon outside their formation.

"Ahhh," Skull groaned, trying to fight the pain and to get back up on his feet to fight. He managed to open one eye to grasp a vision of his surroundings. A beartic from the opposite side jumped over the Liepard and charged towards Glace. She used ice shards but to no avail.

Glace screamed as she saw the Beartic fast approaching her, ready to rip her body to pieces. She turned her head away and screamed, firmly believing it would be her last.

At the sound of her voice, Skull was immediately up on his feet and he tackled the Beartic with Assurance, throwing him off far into the distance. The Liepard quickly finished him off with Night slash, leaving him to bleed to death.

"Thank you," Glace managed to stutter between her gasps as he helped her to her paws. The pain returned and he fell on his knees once again.

"Your Highness!" Glace shrieked, leaning close to him. She tried to keep him from falling on his side.

" _UMBREON!"_ Skull heard a voice inside his head. His eyes widened at the sound as he recognized who it was. Glace noticed this too. Her brows furrowed with anxiety for Prince Skull.

The Madibuzz were hovering in the sky, darting their eyes for the enemy pokemon. The first ones they saw were the Aurorus giving the Bisharp a hard time. The Bisharp attacked with their blades at the necks. The Aurorus countered with ancient power and the ground below them crumpled, blowing them back with the massive force of the dirt and rocks from underneath the grass. The leader of the madibuzz troops gave a signal to his fellow members. Spinning rapidly in the air, they showered down on the Aurorus like arrows using their air slash. The aurorus craned their necks to dodge the approaching birds. A few were completely depleted of their powers and fell on their sides. The beartic at their feet fled for their lives but many were crushed under their weight while their enemies, the Zoroark and Bisharp were immediately recued by the Mandibuzz who grabbed them by the shoulder with their talons and flew them to safety.

Prince Skull was still in pain. He kept trying to get back up and fight but his body refused to, almost as if someone had gained control of it.

" _Skull! Have you forgotten me?"_ The voice in his head spoke again. There was a hint of cheerfulness in that voice, enshrouded in hatred and despair and hopelessness.

"Esperanza?" Skull thought in his head, hoping that she could hear him with the telepathic control she had built with him. It also allowed her to control his movements and Skull was sure now that it was causing the severe pain inside his head. He had seen her do it before and knew well that she was capable of crushing boulders with the kind of energy she could manipulate. He had always lived in the confidence of the fact that she could never muster the courage to kill him. Now, he was not so sure.

" _You remembered me. How sweet of you!"_ She giggled again, the voice booming in his head. He tried to avoid her sarcastic remarks and mocking.

" _Where are you? Esperanza?"_ He asked her, his body shivering with the pain that now ran along his back and down to his feet. Glace was terribly worried and was now kneeling over while the Liepard continued to shield the pair.

" _Could it be that you're afraid of facing me?"_ He asked her, his own voice mimicking her sarcasm. The pain was increased to higher levels, making him howl. Glace winced back at his outburst but was quickly at his side, tending to him by gently massaging his shoulders. She had no idea how relaxing it felt to the Prince.

" _I am not afraid of you,"_ Esperanza said in his head. _"Look up."_

He felt himself regaining his strength. She loosened her psychic grip on him, allowing him to regain his composure. He slowly rose to his feet and raised his head, looking over to the hills. There, on the edge of a cliff, he saw Esperanza. She was standing alone, wind ruffling her silky pink fur and tail and ears swishing with their movements. She smirked when Skull caught her looking over, eyes narrowing slightly. She wore a silver chain with a ring in it around her neck and her smile was a rather devious one. Skull immediately recognized the ring. She read his mind.

" _You recognize this ring don't you Skull?"_ She said, speaking in his head again telepathically. _"It is the ring of promise you gave me when you promised to marry me and only me."_

" _That was a long time ago!"_ He yelled at her in his thoughts, frowning at her from below the grounds. A Froslass tried to tackle Skull. His instincts acted up and he blew her back with his shadow ball and then diverted his attention to Queen Esperanza once more.

He saw that her eyes were no longer looking at him, but at the one to his right. He turned his head to see Glace, looking at him, confused. _What is the matter with him?_ She thought to herself. _One moment he is fine and the next, he's drowning in pain!_

" _Who is she?"_ Esperanza asked telepathically in a soft tone with a hint of harshness and jealousy. Skull couldn't have missed it if he wanted to. It was one of the things he clearly remembered about Esperanza. Her jealousy when any other female was around him. Thinking back to those times almost made him want to smile. Almost.

Skull's eyes widened when he saw Glace emitting a strange pink aura that now surrounded her fur. She began to ascend for the skies and Skull understood immediately that it was Esperanza's doing. Glace screamed at what was happening and he started towards her.

" _NO! LEAVE HER ALONE!"_ He pleaded to Esperanza who was using her psychic abilities to lift Glace off the ground and into the skies above. Only, he had accidently said it out loud. Skull tried to make a quick grab at her tail but missed by an inch and the Glaceon was taken high in the sky, all the while she screamed for help. _Why did I bring her! She should have stayed back where it was safe!_ He scolded himself.

He ran amongst the battling pokemon around him, his eyes fixed on Glace who was hovering high in the sky. _"DROP HER! PLEASE!"_ He pleaded to Esperanza. She didn't answer him.

Esperanza stood at the cliff. She had ceased her conversation with the Darkus prince but was still reading his mind. A tear trickled down her pink cheeks when she realized how concerned he felt for the Glaceon she was so mercilessly carrying in the sky, ready to drop her down to her death from the high altitude. This was how he had felt about her once. A tear fell on the ring around her neck, making a soft clicking sound that was drowned out by the noises below.

She brought her paw to her face, wiping the tears that were now flowing down endlessly from her eyes, messing up her luscious pink fur. She lost control of the hovering Glaceon. Gravity took control and Glace felt herself descending at an incredible speed.

"HELP ME!" She screamed in the air as the ground closed in, as did her death. Skull had been anxiously following the flying Glaceon, keeping the same thought in mind for her safety in hopes that Esperanza may read his mind and leave Glace alone.

He dropped to his legs below her and she landed on his back with a loud thud. He winced in pain, hoping that he didn't break his back. Glace on the other hand had managed to make it without a single scratch. She quickly got off the Prince's back and kneeled over, checking to make sure he was unharmed.

"Your Highness?" She said, nudging his muzzle with her own. It seemed that the Prince had been knocked unconscious as he wasn't really moving. Then slowly, he began to open his eyes and tried to get back up on his feet.

"Are you alright?!" Glace asked anxiously, her eyes widened and filled with concern for the prince. He struggled to his feet with a little pain but other than that, he had managed not to break any of his bones.

"I'm glad you're safe," he said, breathing heavily. She couldn't bring herself to believe that he was still worried about her safety even after the massive damage he took to his strength and stamina in saving her.

Their moment was cut short when Esperanza raised a cry from the cliff. Skull's head was immediately turned into her direction.

"Forces! Retreat!" She spoke in a loud voice. Although he couldn't see it, he was sure that Esperanza was crying at the moment.

There was a flurry of action as the ice-pokemon began to retreat. Many of them were killed at the hands of the Zoroark and Mightyena in their attempts to make a silent retreat. The Darkus pokemon were not willing to allow that. In their defense, a few Beartic and Aurorus were able to freeze the Zoroark into solid ice, allowing more of their pokemon to escape.

Some of the Aurorus were in such a haste to escape that they crushed many of the Bisharp and Houndoom carelessly, even the ones that didn't attack them. The Madibuzz landed on the blood-soaked grass prairie, ready for their meal of the dead pokemon that lay scattered on the ground.

The Battle came to an end with the victors being the Darkus Kingdom.

Skull was breathing heavily with his fearful encounter with his ex-fiancé, Queen Esperanza. At the same time, his heart was at peace for the fact that he had managed to protect the Glaceon he saved once.

On the battlefield, Skull knew that Darkus had won. But if hadn't been for the sensitivity of Queen Esperanza, they would have lost for sure. He would have anyway. In a manner of speaking, it was the Aurora kingdom that prevailed over them.

 _She really does have the courage to attack me._ He noted. _With powers like that, it is highly likely that she could have killed Glace. Then, why didn't she?_

* * *

 **Thanks for reading guys. See ya later.**


	14. Scheming

**Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon.**

 **I also apologize in advance for any Grammar/spelling errors I missed.**

* * *

 **Chapter 14**

 **In Blitz Kingdom:-**

Volt, carefully taking his steps, walked into the court, gritting his teeth in anger that activated the surge of electricity in his fur. He knew what was coming. The only thing the Jolteon prince failed to understand was the gravity of the situation, the core keeping it all together. The answers lied with Zekrom who had refused to tell them any of it. Walking on the golden carpet, his eyes fixed on his father on the far end, he hoped the king would take this fury into consideration this time rather than be blinded in his quest to bring back Sapphire.

 _What is so special about her!?_ He grumbled in his head. A crackle of electricity sparked from his fur, indicating this sudden emotion. _If only Zekrom would reveal this little quality of her to me. Up until now, I have decided to let her live. Does it have to end in her death?_

"Volt," King Ampharos said seriously, addressing his son who now sat face to face with his father, the father that had alienated his son all his life in his love of his daughter and even now was just toying around with him to retrieve her. Those thoughts never ceased to flood Volt's mind, reminding him that everything he did to Sapphire was well deserved by her. Hate can be a powerful thing and his father was simply fueling it in his attempts to find the lost Glaceon princess.

"Yes, father," he replied obediently, blinking twice while holding his head high.

Pachirisu at his side could sense the tension in the prince. As the only one privy to all of Volt's scheming, he was terrified by the unpredictability of their situation. This was treason in many ways. But should it persist, Pachirisu was aware that Volt could very well be their next king and hesitance now would not paint a very favorable picture for his future in Blitz Kingdom.

The Luxray warriors were standing beside the throne, three on each sides. They looked stern and expressionless whereas the king looked a bit soft. Still, it was the king that bothered the prince not the killer Luxray.

"I believe it is time to lead another expedition to yet another kingdom," The king informed his son. Volt, who had already thought up an excuse for this, was waiting for the right moment to put forth his idea.

"I believe our next target should be Aquanesia Kingdom," The king continued while Volt listened with what he portrayed to be his full attention. He sighed a bit at this suggestion. Water pokemon would be too easy for him to beat. He wanted a challenge if he was going to go waste his time looking for something he wasn't even eager to share a castle with.

"Aquanesia kingdom father?" Volt questioned in a tone that didn't really sound like he was asking. "If I may be so bold, I believe we should advance to the Aurora Kingdom in the north."

"And why is it that you feel the need to go there?" The King countered. "Aquanesia is to the west, closest to our kingdom after Frere. It would be the first place she could have reached."

"I concur," he answered solemnly. "But, the Queen of Aurora Kingdom, Queen Esperanza is of a rather gentle disposition. I believe if anyone would have offered our exiled 'princess' a shelter, it would be her." The way he said 'princess' was despicable. Still, the king failed to detect this.

"Yes, but how could she have known of Sapphire?" King Ampharos asked yet again.

Prince Volt sighed internally, preparing himself to lie again. The reason why he had suggested Aurora Kingdom was because he himself believed that Sapphire was in Aquanesia kingdom. He didn't want to advance on a kingdom they could easily defeat, then have his army suspect him of treachery when he would refuse to advance into Aquanesia kingdom and retrieve the princess. His forces seldom questioned him when it came to battles as Volt was the Commander of the Blitz forces, a responsibility delegated to him by his father. Presently, the high ranking officials of the army were receiving orders directly from the king and not Prince Volt himself. Any attempts by Volt to sway his army off course would be obvious. His only option was to somehow manipulate the king's decision.

"It came into my knowledge that Darkus and Aurora Kingdoms were in a battle recently," he stated. "The war resulted in surrender by Aurora kingdom when Queen Esperanza withdrew her forces. If Sapphire has been wondering north of the continent, it is likely that she could have encountered Queen Esperanza on their return and she could have offered to help Sapphire. We have wasted precious time in our fight with Frere, meaning there is every chance that she could have travelled far up north by now, maybe even with some help."

The king thought for a moment and silence fell upon the court. Volt smiled deviously because again, he had fooled his father. He was now going to war against Aurora kingdom which would be at least better than Aquanesia. _At least their Queen is beautiful,_ he thought to himself.

"I understand Volt," King Ampharos finally spoke, catching the prince off guard who was making mental notes for the preparation of his next expedition. "You, the Pachirisu and the Luxray Nobles will lead the deputation to Queen Esperanza for a peaceful retrieval of your sister."

Prince Volt was seething with anger at this suggestion. The fur on his back stood up in sharp daggers, the vision of which was not visible to the king. His brows dropped down in frown and his claws scaled the golden carpet, putting a faint mark on its splendid weaving. Pachirisu noticed this. The Prince was expecting a war, killing, blood but instead, he got the task of making a peaceful conversation with a Queen just so he could retrieve the princess and although it was not likely that Queen Esperanza had Sapphire with her, he still did not want this. It hadn't occurred to him but if by chance, Sapphire really was in Aurora kingdom, than the Luxray Nobles were sure to bring her back. The bribery on them would be pointless as they had sworn their loyalty to Zekrom and since they were aware of their mission, any plan Prince Volt might manage to hatch would be ineffective.

"Something the matter Volt?" King questioned after observing the sudden change in his son's mood. Volt sighed again, trying to find an easy way out rather than having his father witness his treachery in all its glory.

"Why must we choose the path of a peaceful concession?" Volt asked his father, trying to control his anger. The fur on his back refused to sit down. "I mean, I could easily dispose off of them in a fight."

"No Volt," The king said rather harshly. "You saw what we did to the Frere Kingdom. In the end, they didn't really have Sapphire with them. A war would lead to unnecessary bloodshed. So I ask of you, to have an assembly with Her Majesty Queen Esperanza and disclose the matter."

Volt was still furious to a very high degree. Yet, he somehow convinced his body to make a low bow. "Your orders are my command, father. We leave at noon."

With that, he swept out of the court with Pachirisu hurriedly walking at his side. He was worried about what was going through the prince's head. He was probably planning ahead, typical of prince Volt and his evil ways to get what he desired.

"You're highness?" Pachirisu said as soon as the doors to the court room were closed, allowing the two to have their conversations without the risk of anyone hearing. "May I ask what is on your mind?"

Volt didn't give any sort of expression which worried the royal advisor even more. Normally, Volt would smirk, indicating he had a trick up his sleeve. Or he would frown because the circumstances were not in his favor. For now, his expressionless faced showed that the prince himself wasn't so sure.

"I have a plan," he said grimly. "But I'm not sure if it would work."

 **several days later…..**

 **In Frere Kingdom:-**

All his life, he had only ever been in the throne room when he was summoned by his brother or the Ceremony of the Ancients. He now sat on the throne, the very same throne that had once belonged to his father and, more recently, his brother. Having had no desire to be on it before, the feeling of knowing that he was to sit and govern from it till his last breath was something he yet had to make peace with.

Prince Blaze dismissed everyone from the throne room, preferring solitude over an audience. As soon as everyone was out and the room was empty, he loosened up and crashed onto the throne, his paw to his forehead. Who would have thought the coronation ceremonies could be so tiresome? And this, he was told, was only the first of the many such occasions he would have to deal with now that he was a King. There would be public addressing, royal ceremonies, balls, wars, assemblies and many other things and he would be the key character in all of these.

Up until now, he had only accompanied his brother to such gatherings, always zoning out everyone in his surroundings. More often than not, he was guilty of playing pranks during such occasions, ones that would always leave Arcanine laughing. He allowed himself to revisit those cherished memories. One particular memory came to mind, making the Frere King smile. He had snuck over to a royal guard at the door who was a kricketune. The guard had fallen asleep, leaning against the door and Prince Blaze, using his razor sharp claws, swiped off half of his mustache. The embarrassment the Kricketune had to face was something only his victim knew. Everyone else had only ended up laughing.

 _I'll never hear him laugh._ Prince Blaze thought sadly, going into his thoughts. He had been doing a lot of that lately. King Arcanine wasn't the most humorous one but he would never pass up an opportunity to share a good laugh with his younger brother. Now, he was no more. The day of mourning had been just a day before the coronation of the new King; King Blaze.

In his thoughts, Blaze would think about his brother, always beating himself up for his death. Then to avoid it, he would replace those thoughts with that of Aquila. _Aquila,_ He thought, now looking up at the ceiling of the throne room while lying on his back on the throne. This was not the proper way for a king to sit but since none of the royal attendants were around, Fennekin, the little royal advisor at his side, allowed it. After all, the Prince had had a hard day. The least she could do was exempt him from his duties for a while. As a friend if not the royal adviser.

Fennekin watched in worry as she saw the prince immersed in yet another day dream. The Fennekin, as the Prince's closest companion, had noticed this sudden change in his behavior and had been extremely worried. _How is he going to carry out his royal duties if he is so depressed?_ She thought, staring at the prince who seemed oblivious to her presence.

Just then, a loud sound was heard from outside the balcony that sounded like half-quack-half squawk. Prince Blaze snapped out of his thoughts at the unpleasant sound and sat up straight, holding his head high. It was no mistaking that one of the other royals had written to him. Seeing the pokemon approaching, he decided it was probably from his ally, the Aerial Kingdom.

The pokemon was a Swanna with its magnificent white feathers and a crown-like head. Such beautiful bird pokemon only resided in the Aerial Kingdom so it didn't even occur to him that this messenger, the lovely female Swanna, could actually belong to another one of the eighteen kingdoms. Blaze sighed as she landed in front of him, a small roll of paper held securely in her beak. _This must be the Aerial Kingdom's king offering his consolidations on the loss of our king, and probably to acknowledge me on me succeeding him as the new king._ Blaze thought.

He rolled his eyes involuntarily when the Swanna spread out her wings and craned her necks to bow in respect. He had grown tired with the amount of people he had seen bow their heads to him. They called it respect; he called it a worthless formality. The Swanna raised an eyebrow at this gesture. _She was so keen to write to him,_ She thought. _And he doesn't even seem half so pleased with it._

Without any further formalities, much to Blaze's relief, she dropped the small roll of paper on the floor and took a few steps back from it. Then she turned around and spread her wings, ready to take off. Blaze perked up his ears at this. This wasn't how the official messages were sent to Arcanine.

"Stop!" He ordered the Swanna who immediately obeyed. She looked up at him fearfully. He gave her a pleasant smile to calm her down which worked instantly.

"Where are you from?" He asked, politely. The Swanna looked down a bit in a way what Blaze could gather was an indication of embarrassment. He wondered what could be bothering the Swanna but decided not to intimidate her or frighten her into answering him.

"Do not keep my King waiting!" Fennekin warned in an alarmingly frightening voice. Blaze sighed.

Swanna waited for two more seconds until she finally spoke: "Aquanesia Your Majesty Blaze!"

King Blaze flinched and his eyes widened. The voice he had heard had not lived up to the beauty of the bird pokemon he looked upon. The Swanna's voice was a squawky and a rather nasty one, like how a cackling old woman complains about pokemon throwing stones at her window. Blaze was taken aback but tried not to show his astonishment. His good-natured heart would not allow him to make hurt a lady's feelings. The Swanna, of course, was aware of her own flaws. She grew red from embarrassment and turned her head down to the ground. Seeing this, he dismissed her quickly so she could avoid the situation. She must have been glad to because she fled out of the balcony the very next minute.

Fennekin proceeded to pick up the letter. She brought it over to King Blaze, who had asked her not to read it to him, but that he would read it himself. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a faint smile on the king's face. He opened it with his paws and began to read.

 _Dear Prince Blaze,_

 _I suppose it is King now. I heard about the death of King Arcanine in the battle. I don't really know how to express myself but I feel so useless here in Aquanesia, not being able to bring you the comfort you need._

 _If you need anything at all, know that my castle doors are always open to you. Gyarados will bring you to the castle whenever you please. I trust you from deep within. I suppose we will meet again someday in the future. Until then._

 _Yours Truly_

 _Aquila_

Blaze read her name at the bottom again and blinked several times. _She forgot to mention 'Queen' with her name._ He thought silently. It could only mean one thing. She didn't see him as a king or an ally, but rather a friend. A smile crept up on his muzzle.

"Is it a maiden?" Fennekin asked, teasingly. Blaze turned around to see her leaning over the side of his throne, peering curiously at the letter and it was without a doubt that she had managed to read every word. _I guess being small has its own advantages._ Blaze thought.

'Who is Aquila?" Fennekin said slowly, teasing the king some more. He looked up at her, blushing.

"A-a friend!" He stuttered. "From another k-kingdom."

"Do you fancy this maiden?" Fennekin asked further in her teasing tone. Blaze quickly shook his head in protest.

"It's not like that!" He snapped, his blush growing brighter.

"Then may I inquire as to why His Majesty has suddenly gone red in the cheeks?" Fennekin smiled mischievously. Blaze looked away, embarrassed like he had never been embarrassed in his life.

"How can you tell?" he stuttered, shock written all over his face. He had hoped his orange fur would cooperate with him in hiding this. Fennekin shook her head silently.

"No. I can see it as clear as a Swellow in the morning sun," she said slowly, twitching her ears. "So, 'do'you fancy her?" She blinked her eyes jokingly and his blush grew even brighter, if that was even possible.

He walked to his balcony and took a deep breath, trying to free himself of his guilt. Aquila's words had helped him to realize that he was not alone and focus on his goals as the new king of Frere and also, to replenish the burning desire in his heart to live. _I will see you soon._ He thought, picturing Aquila sitting on her giant clamshell throne, her tail spread in all its glory, dazzling with exquisite gems from the underwater realm.

 **In Aurora Kingdom:**

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" Kirlia shrieked as she opened the door with a loud bang using her psychic powers

She then proceeded to run on her petite little toes to the queen seated on the far end of the throne room. Queen Esperanza, who was lost in thoughts about the battle she fought earlier, looked up to her hasty royal advisor. She brought a paw to her muzzle and yawned. She knew her royal advisor had the tendency to exaggerate and this was probably another exaggeration.

"You Majesty!" Kirlia gasped, breathing heavily. "The Prince of Blitz Kingdom, Prince Volt wishes to speak to you! He has travelled all the way from the south to meet you!"

Esperanza's eyes widened. It wasn't often that deputations would come to her from Kingdoms far away let alone the Prince himself. She straightened up while the Alakazam lined up on her either side, ready for any kind of sudden attack they could anticipate from the Prince. Esperanza called for him and permitted his entry. The throne room's door was opened once again and Volt walked in.

He walked slowly on the soft carpet of the throne room. He wore a light blue cape of on his shoulder which dragged along behind him with a rustling sound. The Luxray walked behind the prince, three on the left and three on the right, each of them wearing those serious expressions on their faces. Pachirisu walked in line with Prince Volt.

Prince Volt looked right at Queen Esperanza and admired her beauty inside his heart. He made a mental calculation of how many hearts she could have possibly broken the day she married the king of Glacial Kingdom. But then again, who would want to be allies with a pokemon kingdom that was reluctant to fight any war? The Aurora Kingdom, under the reign of the Espeon Queen barely had any conquests. The recent one was one of the only he actually knew of.

He stopped before her and bowed in respect, knowing that she was the Queen and he was a mere Prince. Yet, she was no older than him. _Luck favored her,_ he grumbled. _I could have been the king if father would just pass on the torch._

"Rise," Queen Esperanza said in her heavenly voice. "You wish to have a word with me?"

Volt raised his head and looked up intently at the Queen. Now that they had the formalities out of the way, he could go on with the mission his father assigned him. The mission with a twist.


	15. Sparks

**Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon.**

 **I also apologize in advance for any Grammar/spelling errors I missed.**

* * *

 **Chapter 15**

"What is it that you wish to ask of me, Prince?" Queen Esperanza said from her throne in her royal accent.

She gazed down upon the Jolteon prince who was no older than she was. She carefully studied his spiky, golden fur marked by the white ruff around his neck. He had violet eyes and sharp ears with his well-built body complimenting his devilishly handsome features. She couldn't help but wish she could've been like him. She envied him for being exempted from all the sufferings that she had to face as a Princess when her father was alive.

"I have lost something very dear to me," Volt replied, daring to hold her gaze. For a brief second, he allowed himself to believe that they were equal in status.

"Haven't we all?" Esperanza asked yet again, blinking her eyes slowly as if she was trying to seduce the prince. That was only her innocence. Volt knew that Esperanza was not the cruel one of the two and even if she were, he was much more experienced than she ever will be. Her style of conversing amused him, tempting him to stay longer than required.

"Yes, I suppose," he replied, his voice full of confidence. "But this one is someone very important to our kingdom."

Esperanza was taken by surprise but she showed no sign of it on her pretty face. All Prince Volt could see was the serious expression on the lovely face, sprinkled with hints of melancholic incidents that he couldn't figure out, nor be rude enough to ask.

Esperanza got off the throne and stood up on her glossy pink, elegant legs. Volt kept looking at her moves, somehow expecting an attack.

"Walk with me," she ordered and turned around without even making sure that he was following her.

" _Guards! Down!"_ She told the Alakazam telepathically. They all nodded once and Volt understood that they weren't going to be following them. The Queen wanted to speak to him alone. Signaling to his own group of Luxray, he followed her along rather cautiously but seeing her beauty, he could not bring himself to think that she would be the one to strike first. She was just too petite, too fragile for that. Still, one could never be too careful either. He kept charging the electricity underneath his fur at a slow pace; building it up if it was ever needed.

Esperanza guided him through a door on the other side of the throne room. It was not heavily decorated like the door that he had walked through earlier. The design on the wooden door was rather plain, the only thing of significance being the rose craved in the centre. Still, it wasn't his place to worry so he shrugged it off. Esperanza's eyes glowed pink and a mysterious aura began to emit from the wooden door. It flung open, revealing a beautiful garden behind it.

Esperanza walked into the garden, followed by Prince Volt. The door was shut behind them with a creaking sound but the beauty of the garden had Volt too strongly in its grasp to let him notice. The Garden's pavement was made of golden bricks and there were apple trees with flower beds of lilacs around then, circled with golden bricks with blue gems poking out of the top of them. The gentle breeze ruffled his fur and he found his wrenched soul at peace even though his problems were far from being over. In the centre of the garden, there was a golden fountain with crystal blue water gushing out from the top and filling a small pool below. Queen Esperanza seated herself on the edge of this fountain while Volt stood a short distance from her. She was looking at the sky, lost in thoughts about something. _She puts the garden to shame with her exquisite beauty._ Volt thought, smiling at the Espeon Queen while she was not looking. In some ways, he wished he could be like her. She was a kind soul who governed with love and justice. His soul harbored nothing but hatred.

"Is something bothering Her Majesty?" He asked politely, bowing his head slightly. She twitched her ears and turned to him.

"Oh, no," she replied quickly. "I was just thinking about the battle I had earlier."

"Ah," Volt said, a smirk appearing on his muzzle. "Is that what you meant when you said we all have lost something?" He peered curiously at her, observing the red gem in the middle of her head. It wasn't glowing but it glimmered from the reflected rays of the sun, making the queen appear more enticing.

"In a way, I suppose so," she answered, looking down at her reflection in the water now. She dipped her paw in the fountain, feeling the cool rush of the water against it, then pulled it out and placed it back on the edge.

"You could have won had you not surrendered," Volt said, now looking to his left at the lilac flowers. "You didn't have to surrender."

"It does not matter now," she said, changing the topic. "What is this pokemon you have lost? Are you searching for it in my kingdom?"

"Yes," Volt replied, clearing his throat.

He was reminded of his plan. All he had to do was ask if Sapphire was there or not. If she was not, he had nothing to worry about. He could return to his kingdom and inform his father that she wasn't there after all. If yes, he could misguide the queen into thinking that this Glaceon had murdered their princess, the one which the queen doesn't know about, and then have her execute Sapphire for him. Following that, he could lie to his father about how the Aurora pokemon has killed Sapphire under the suspicion that she was a spy from a rival was the perfect plan to get rid of Sapphire once and for all. He won't have to go on expeditions in search of her anymore. He could finally go to wars to conquer kingdoms and maybe even become the king in the future, seeing as to how he was the only heir to the throne. He cleared his throat again and then, hiding his evilness behind those quirky smiles, he told her.

"She was a Glaceon," he said. "She escaped from the Kingdom. We have been searching for her since. Has she, by any chance, been seeking refuge with her Majesty?"

Esperanza eyes widened. _Could it be!?_ She thought. _Is she the same Glaceon that I found with Prince Skull, the Umbreon?_

"Tell me her name," she said, looking down to avoid his gaze in case he noticed her astonishment and hurt. It was too late. He had already seen the sudden change in her mood and concluded she did indeed have some idea about Sapphire's whereabouts. Now, all he could do was hope she wouldn't lie and defend the princess. Moreover, if Esperanza was aware of Sapphire's plight, she would definitely defend her. However, the fact that she had chosen to speak in private with him was proof enough that she wasn't really aware of this. It could only mean two things: Either Sapphire hadn't told the queen that she is hiding in Aurora Kingdom, or she wasn't with the queen at all. But then, why was the Queen so baffled at the mention of this Glaceon? All these questions flooded his mind.

"Sapphire," He told her, blinking at her. He stared at her while she avoided his gaze. "She calls herself Sapphire."

"If I recall correctly," she said, looking the sky and going into the thinking stance again. "I did see her in my battle recently."

Volts eyes widened. _The battle!_ He thought. _Sapphire was in a war? And since the battle was with Darkus army, there is no doubt that she has been in Darkus all this time. But how did she get there? The Prince of Darkus is the darkest of souls, even above me. He should have had her beheaded or something!?_

"Something wrong, Prince Volt?" Esperanza said, tilting her head in confusion at the sudden change in the expression of the prince. All along, he had been serious, his face drained off of its colors. Now, it seemed that her statement had brought some colors into his cheeks, the colors of surprise.

"It's nothing," he answered quickly, shaking his head. "This Glaceon you saw? Was she fighting too?"

"In a manner of speaking," Queen Esperanza replied slowly, taking in every little emotion that Volt would allow to slip just for the sake of some information. "Prince Skull was protecting her. It was a part of the reason why I surrendered."

Volt felt a ping of guilt in his heart but it wasn't enough to make him apologize for asking. It didn't even occur to him that Queen Esperanza held Skull very dear to herself. All he could focus on was that Prince Skull was protecting a Glaceon and it was a possibility that this Glaceon was none other than his sister, Sapphire. Now, he had to hatch another plan to dispose off of her. And it wasn't very long until one snapped into his mind . _All I have to do is lead a deputation to Darkus and convince this Prince Skull otherwise. But, since Esperanza suggests he was protecting her, I doubt he'd have her hanged. Perhaps I can use Esperanza for my goals._ He thought, and then turned his attention back to Queen Esperanza.

"I feel like I owe it to you," Volt said with a grim smile on his muzzle. "That Sapphire is evil. She is the murderer of my sister."

Esperanza gasped and her eyes widened. 'You! You are not serious are you?" She pleaded, her eyes filled with fear. Volt nodded once.

"I'm afraid so it is," he told her. 'With that in mind, I vowed to get revenge for my dead sister!"

"That means," she said, traumatized by the sudden thought. "Skull is in danger!"

Volt's ears perked up, feigning ignorance. "I'm sorry. I thought he was your enemy. Could I have been mistaken, you're Majesty?"

"Mistaken?!" She yelled, scolding him. "You are gravely mistaken Prince Volt! Prince Skull is the pokemon I gave my heart to! I know he broke my heart but I cannot, and will not have him murdered by the likes of that Glaceon!" She jumped off the edge of the fountain and stood on her paws, determined and scared at the same time. It amused Volt to see her like this. She could have been the best warrior if she could only let her strength be her guide rather than be fooled by her heart in pursuit for something as meaningless as love. _Why did she have to be so merciful and kind?_ He thought.

"Then you better write to him," he suggested without hesitating. This could have his problems taken care of much faster than a war. Esperanza's ears dropped and she collapsed back on the edge of the fountain, looking at her reflection once again. A tear escaped her eyes and made a soft splatter when it fell into the fountain, followed by ripples in the water below, distorting her reflecting for a few seconds before it returned to normal. Volt noticed this. He took a step towards her in concern. He did not mean to upset her. He was in big trouble if anything were to happen to Esperanza. He only had six Luxray. She had an entire army.

"I cannot write to him," She said is a melancholic tone. "He does not love me anymore."

Volt couldn't help but feel pity on the queen. In his eyes, she was pathetic for wishing well to someone who had caused her such pain. She should have been bent upon having him killed, not saved. But then again, Queen Esperanza wasn't heartless like him. In fact, if he didn't know any better, she was the exact opposite of him. He was merciless, she was merciful. He was brutal, she was generous. He was the face of evil; she was a vision of purity.

"Then why do you care about him?" he said, intimidating her. "Wouldn't it be better if karma were to take your revenge for you?" Esperanza laughed a bit but that too, was hollow and full of sorrow. He titled his head in confusion and waited for her to go on.

"You don't understand do you Prince Volt?" She said, smiling weakly at him. "Hate cannot defy love."

Whether he liked it or not, her words had touched his heart. He smiled at her innocence. He closed his eyes and looked down, smirking. His appearance lacked nothing for him to be labeled a charming prince, except his heart was as black as coal.

"Yes. But what good will Love do when the only thing the other person has in his heart for you is hate?" He replied, thinking about his own father, the way he was always considered second to Sapphire.

Esperanza turned her head back down into the fountain and looked at her reflection. She could see her emotions clearly in it. Volt was right. She loved a Prince who hated her, betrayed her, toyed with her tender heart and left her to her fate, not even fighting for her hand when she was being forcefully wedded.

"Come with me," Volt said, startling her. She opened her eyes and saw his reflection in the crystal clear water of the fountain below right next to her, his violet eyes on her. He leaned in closer to her, bringing his muzzle up to her face. She felt a chill run down her spine as he came too close for personal space. _Is he going to kiss me?_ She gasped internally. Her paws began to shiver and she felt like clawing him with her paw, then using her telepathic powers to call upon the guards. But somehow, she couldn't bring herself to do it. Her eyes were wide open from fear of what Volt had in mind for her. _Please don't kiss me! I beg of you!_ She prayed.

Volt instead took his muzzle to her ear and whispered: "Join hands with Blitz and let us take on Darkus together. If he won't listen to you, you need to make him see."

He moved away from her ear and smiled at her. For a few seconds, she was mesmerized by him as she felt her fear leave her conscious. She had understood what he had suggested. And he was right too. Skull wasn't going to listen to her. It was obvious that he'd actually burn her letter to ashes before even reading it. Besides, the way he had protected the Glaceon from her was proof enough that anything she'd tell him would be passed on as a lie. The only way through to the situation was a battle. And making a temporary alliance with Blitz to win it sounded promising. She managed a weak smile and nodded in acknowledgement at Prince Volt.

"Alright," she told him. "If that's what it takes, I'm with you till the end." She stood up and looked him in the eye, showing her determination to save the pokemon that once loved her. "Let us put an end to this vile Glaceon together."

Volt smiled deviously. Once again, his plan had worked to perfections.

 **In Frere Kingdom:-**

Blaze was sitting up straight on his throne, his back aching from all the pain. He hadn't had a second to relax since morning and had been sitting like that in the presence of his courtiers; Frere's most trusted warriors, the royal servants and Fennekin.

"Fennekin," he called her and she came up to him, bowed slightly and then raised her head. He rolled his eyes again at the formality and earned a glare from Fennekin. He immediately took it back and cleared his throat, then proceeded.

"I believe it is time we plot our vengeance on Blitz," He suggested. The warriors, who had been lost in their own individual thoughts, snapped out of it and paid attention. This was what they had been waiting for; For King Blaze to take some actions against Blitz and it seemed that finally, he was on the right path.

"Yes," Fennekin answered. "But as you can see, we suffered serious damage in our last fight. I don't think we can take up any strong measures as of now. I believe a wiser choice would be to defend ourselves until we are strong enough to oppose. We need to rebuilt our forces first."

Blaze thought for a moment. Fennekin was right. She was quiet the royal advisor. No wonder Arcanine preferred her suggestions and never took up any other royal advisors for himself. Fennekin had not only proven herself to be extremely clever like the fox-pokemon that she was, but she had also proved to be a great friend when she helped Blaze recover from his loss. Sure she could be like an annoying little sister sometimes but none of that changed the fact that Blaze could trust her in almost anything. Except his love life maybe.

"You Majesty?" One of the warriors, a Magmortar, came up and knelt on his knees in front of the king. "If Your Majesty pleases, I have a suggestion to make in this matter."

Blaze twitched his ears and blinked twice. "Yes. Go on." He said. The Magmortar raised his head.

"I do believe we are still in alliance with Aerial Kingdom," he began. "You could write to King Staraptor and we can fight the war together with them. Two forces combined into one should be enough to overthrow Blitz Kingdom."

 _An excellent course of action._ Blaze thought but someone else didn't think so.

"I don't think that is a wise choice," Fennekin spoke up, diverting all the attention to herself once more. Blaze was keener to listen to what Fennekin had to say, given her superior strategies as opposed to Magmortar who believed that war was the best solution to everything.

"How so, Fennekin?" Blaze asked. "Pray tell."

"Well," Fennekin said, making her point. "The Aerial Kingdom is mostly flying-type which is weak against the electric-type. So, even if we were to lead the battle along with them, we won't have as much of a benefit except for the numerical majority. In other words, we are only putting the lives of our allies in danger."

King Blaze considered this too and it was valid. The other alternative he had was to write to Queen Aquila and fight the battle alongside the Aquanesia kingdom. But, then again, water was weak to electric too and there was a risk of putting the life of his beloved in danger. This idea was abandoned as quickly as it came to his mind.

"Fennekin," he ordered and she bowed. "Write to King Staraptor! Tell him to prepare for war."

Fennekin looked at him one last time. She could see determination in his eyes. Nothing could stop him now and even her pleas would be futile. Also, a part of her was screaming at her to take this opportunity to get back at those Blitz pokemon. She silently bowed: "Yes Your Majesty," then turned around and slowly left the throne room to get on with her task.

 **In Florasia Kingdom:**

Queen Eleanor, the Leafeon queen of Florasia walked up the stone staircase to the top on her castle where the huge willow tree was situated, surrounded by the beautiful flower beds with their heavenly scents. All of this failed to grasp her attention and she made her way quickly towards the giant tree, the royal advisor Grovyle at her side.

A small portion of her grass-type army was already waiting for her on the sides of the tree. An entire battalion of Roserades stood on the right side, kneeling on their knees with their roses held out. On the left side of the large willow tree was the battalion of gogoats, kneeling on their front legs with their horns pointing out in front of their heads. The ceremony of the Ancients was about to commence and Eleanor was not a minute late, courtesy of Grovyle.

She bowed alongside Grovyle in front of the tree's trunk and then touched it with her paw. A mysterious green glow enveloped her and the Grovyle and they vanished from that spot. They appeared into what seemed to be like a chasm with wild flowers growing endlessly at their feet, making a soft crunching sound as they walked. This was the inside of the willow tree. This lovely flora world existed inside the thick trunk of the tree itself, brought to life by the water gushing out of giant holes that went down the castle walls. These were the roots.

"Eleanor," a soft, angelic voice echoed her name and she knelt low, waiting for the legendary pokemon to show itself. The voice sounded far away. "I see you are on time as always."

At the far end of the flower field, she could see an elegant figure with long, sleek legs walking slowly towards her, white mist surrounding her and shielding her from view, making her appear as nothing more than a silhouette. The majestic pokemon was taking slow steps, making a soft clicking sound with her hooves. The mist began to vanish as the pokemon came closer to her. When she reached Eleanor, she told her to rise. Grovyle stood behind the Queen, letting her do all the talking.

"I'm sorry I failed to stop Prince Skull in our last battle, Virizion" Queen Eleanor said quickly. "I failed you."

"Oh no my child," the Virizion said, a pleasant smile on her green muzzle. "You mustn't mourn over your failures and look ahead to the future."

"I know," she said solemnly. "But it is with heavy heart that I report to you that I failed to accomplish this task. I assure you, it will not happen again."

"Oh no," Virizion said, her smile quickly vanishing. "That is not for you to worry about anymore. I'm afraid what I have feared all along if fast approaching." There was urgency in her voice which caught Queen Eleanor's attention.

"What is it" Queen Eleanor asked.

"I'm afraid I cannot express it," Virizion told her. She was quite taller than the Leafeon Queen and had to crane her long neck a bit to gaze down upon her. "You must see it for yourself. For now, many kingdoms have made powerful allies. I suggest you find an ally too."

"But why?" Eleanor protested. Virizion shook her head slowly, then turned around to leave.

"Hurry," she said in an urgent and warning tone. "Hurry Eleanor. You mustn't waste time in questioning." The mist enshrouded the pokemon again as she disappeared out of sight on the far end of the endless flower field. Following her would be pointless. Eleanor had tried it once, only to find herself wondering around an endless flower field.

Eleanor's ears dropped down to her face. _What is it that Virizion is so worried about?_ She thought silently. She closed her eyes and then concentrating on returning back outside the willow tree. She was warped outside in much the same way she was warped inside the tree. The army was still waiting in the kneeling position.

"Queen Eleanor?" Grovyle said from behind. 'Orders?"

"Yes," she said, furrowing her eyebrows. "We lead a deputation to Stardust kingdom at dawn."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading it as always. I'll leave you guys to guess any future battles and conflicts. Leave a review!**

 **See you guys later.**


	16. Kingdom of the Skies

**Ok. Listen guys. I'll be travelling in the next week. I'm going on vacation. It's more like camping up in the mountains and it's my first time so of course I'm excited. But sadly, it's a long trip. Precisely three weeks so I won't be coming back here for a while.**

 **This may or may not be my last update before I go. I'll try to get two more chapters up before I leave though. I'll try my best but know that there are a lot of preparations to be done before I leave. So I hope you find it in your hearts to forgive me.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon.**

 **I apologize in advance for any grammatical or spelling mistakes you find.**

* * *

 **Chapter 16**

Morning in the Darkus kingdom was not much different from the night. The black, cloud cover overhead casted a huge shadow on the territory below, making the place look like the castle of the Lord of the Dead.

Glace was on a stroll in the gardens of the Darkus kingdom's castle, taking in the smell of the roses that always seemed to refresh her mind. The morning dew on the thorny roses still looked fresh, glistening on the delicate petals. The roses grew everywhere. Tall hedges of charcoal black roses were dominating the garden with a pond to the right end of the garden, pond that was home to an extremely rare species of pokemon. The garden, with its dark colors and shadowy surroundings was sinister yet beautiful.

Glace sat by the edge of the pond, looking down at her reflection in the water below. She had had another one of those nightmares again where a mysterious voice was calling to her.

 **Flashback:-**

" _Sapphire," A full and clear voice called out to her. "I'm here."_

 _Sapphire pricked her ears. She had been here before. She wasn't startled or afraid in a bit but there was no denying that this place sent chills running down her spine and it wasn't the cold. She had gotten used to the cold. She was an ice pokemon after all._

 _Turning her head from side to side, she carefully walked over the frozen ground. She had learnt her lesson on the first time that any sudden movements and she'd be sent spinning on this frozen surface. Stepping carefully, she padded along the single path that lied ahead of her with Glaciers on either side, Glaciers that would be impossible to climb over._

" _Sapphire, don't be afraid," The voice called again. It sounded much closer now, alerting the Glaceon that she must have made it to that giant Glacier case where the owner of the voice was trapped._

" _Excuse me?" she mumbled as the huge Glacier came into view. She held up her head, arched her back and looked about from every direction in an attempt to catch the glimpse of the pokemon behind in the chasm._

" _Come to me, Sapphire," The voice called again. "Don't be afraid." It was still a voice of a stranger but somehow, she had learnt to recognize it by now because of her increasing number of nightmares._

" _Find me, quick," The voice called out. "I'm in dire need of your help, Princess Sapphire."_

" _Where will I find you?" Sapphire shrieked desperately, putting up her front paws on to the Glacier and standing up on her hind legs, narrowing her eyes to see through its thick, frozen walls. There was no sign of a pokemon behind it but the voice confirmed it that it's speaker was on the other side of the frozen wall, possibly imprisoned in that Glacier._

 _Her ears and tail shot up on their ends and her eyes widened when she saw that huge claw on the other side of the Glacier. It was placed against the frozen ice wall. She put up her own paws against it, breathing heavily. Was it fear or was it astonishment? She couldn't tell. But one thing was certain. She felt a connection to this mysterious, unknown being._

 _It was a grey claw which didn't help with the guessing game. She remembered the game 'who's that pokemon' being so much more fun when she was a kid. A grey claw wasn't really a very helpful clue. There were lots of pokemon that had grey claws. At this point, she was ready to consider the fur color as a helpful clue._

" _Sapphire," The voice replied. There was a hint of laughter, like the owner of the voice was slightly amused. But the sorrow in its echo was something that would go on to haunt her days. "You'll find me. I promise you."_

 _Sapphire's shoulders relaxed and dropped back down. Her tail fell back in its constant motion but her body refused to step down from Glacier walls. She kept staring ahead, unable to remove her gaze from the claw scaling down the frozen wall with that crackling sound until she saw its withdrawal._

" _Who are you?" she said, narrowing her eyes. At this point, it was hopeless to expect this pokemon to reveal anything. Yet, there was no harm in asking. She had warmed up to this voice. Somehow, this voice made her feel like she was at peace, like she was where she belonged and he was the one who knew of her misery and shared in her grief. Even Prince Skull had failed to make her feel that way._

" _Search for me," It said. The voice was fading away, indicating that she'd be waking up anytime soon. "You'll find me for sure."_

" _WAIT!" She cried, pounding her paws on the Glacier._

" _Search for me. You'll find me for sure. For sure."_

 **Flash back ends:-**

Glace narrowed her eyes and her lips curled into a sad smile. It was downright hilarious that someone she didn't know expected her to do something for him, find him in someplace she had no idea about and possibly free him from captivity.

"Is everything alright, Lady Glace?" Skull voice came from behind. Startled, she almost fell in the lake below but managed to find her balance in time.

"Your Highness," she chirped nervously as her heartbeat returned to normal. "Forgive me. I did not see you."

"Naturally," He said casually, making his way to her. "I'm as black as the night sky."

"Or the day sky," she added and he laughed at her indirect comment on the Darkus Kingdom.

She turned her head back down to the lake, avoiding his penetrating gaze. This was the first time she had ever heard him laugh. She did not know there was something the dark prince could find so amusing as to make him laugh, much less herself. Her mind was struggling to conclude if this was a good sign or a bad one. He seated himself right beside her and copied her pose, looking below to the crystal blue lake and watched their reflection stare back at them. Even in the reflection, he could tell that she wasn't really looking at him but looking out for the luvdisc swimming below.

"I've been here quite a while and I still find this place ever so enchanting," Glace complimented, shying away. Skull rolled his eyes. She had tried to change the subject. Knowing how she felt, he didn't try to bring her back to it.

"Yes," He said grimly. "Life can bloom in darkness."

"Hmm?" Glace asked, confused. Finally, he had her attention. She looked at him curiously and he went on to explain.

"The moral of this garden," he said, turning to the rose bush on his right. His paw slid up the thorny stem as if they weren't even there. Then ever so gently, he lifted the up the charcoal black rose. A single drop of dew on its petals dropped on his paw and found its way down the black fur of his legs. He smiled at it. "The reason I made my garden this way was to show that life can bloom in darkness."

 _How romantic_ Glace thought. Then quickly shook the thought away.

"Is there something in your heart you wish to speak to me about?" He asked, leaning in to her. This was his way of making her answer when she didn't felt like it. It wasn't any kind of romantic approach. It was his way of bringing out her secrets.

"What do you mean?" She asked, playing it innocent.

She could feel the sweat on her brow. He was making her nervous with his steel gaze and a half-pleasant smile He was intimidating yet so inviting. This close, she could smell his sweet, warm scent. Her mind conjured up an image of her in his embrace and she nearly sighed in delight before realizing how inappropriate and un-lady like it really was. Her cheeks began to feel hot and she tried to focus on the ground.

Skull, feeling sympathy for the confused soul, decided to change the subject and let her hold on to her secret. _You have to be willing to share a secret to earn the right to know one._ He thought to himself, finally deciding to what to say.

"I believe you're wondering about the battle you had earlier," he stated, looking down in the lake again. It was his turn to avoid her gaze. This gesture was welcomed.

"Yes, you read my mind, Your Highness," she lied. Guilt took over her conscious. She had lied to the Prince who had showered her with the kind of mercy even her father couldn't. Dishonesty wasn't the path she chose, but she wasn't planning on becoming a plague either.

"I thought so," he replied. "Lady Esperanza can be quite the vengeful one when she wants to be."

"It was her?" Glace asked, shocked. "She was the one hurting you!?"

"You need not worry about me, Lady Glace," He laughed, standing up on his paws. "It was you that she could have killed. I know she can never muster the courage to put an end to me." He turned to leave, infuriating Glace because once again, he had only revealed a part of his secret to her and kept the rest to himself.

"How can you be so sure?' She called out to him. He turned his head and smiled at her.

"I just am," He replied, his face radiating the confidence in him. Then he turned back to face the opposite direction. "Anyways, it's about time I see to the mission of Giratina. Please excuse me."

With that, he left her to piece the rest of the story together. This was like a one big puzzle she could not put together. _What exactly happened between Prince Skull and Queen Esperanza?_

 **In Aerial Kingdom:-**

Aerial Kingdom was regarded as one of the most magnificent castles in the entire pokemon world. It was a kingdom that did not exist in a particular place on the ground, but had rather set its cities hovering high in the sky, only to be reachable by those who could soar in the sky or had some means of conveyance to reach it.

The Kingdom of Aerial was rumored to be built on the backs of thousands of Altaria who held the kingdom high with their physical strength, holding up the castle and all its cities in the air. The Aerial Kingdom was held in high esteem for its defensive techniques. Kingdoms hardly ever dared to attack it, mainly because it was impossible to attack it when it was so high up and out of reach. In case of an attack, their king would order the Altaria to carry the castle away to safety. In short, this kingdom was always on the move.

The city buildings were built in the shape of long towers with sharp edges. The walls of these buildings were made of mirrors right down to their edges, reflecting the world around them. This allowed the kingdom to camouflage with the sky and the surrounding clouds. The population of the kingdom was very limited but the mirror effect made the kingdom look like a huge place and the reflections of these pokemon made them appear like thousands in numbers, even when there were only a handful on the move. It would be impossible to tell where one was going with all the mirrors reflecting every street and all the pokemon but this was where their bird senses would kick in, helping them to find their way around the mirror maze, a skill that was nearly impossible to master for any other type.

Spearrow, Aerodactyle and Mukrow were flying around the city but their reflections made them appear to a hundreds in number, dashing past in a blur in the busy city of the bird pokemon. This was one kingdom that had least of the troubles when it came to war so naturally, its residents were almost always at peace.

The castle situated in the centre of the flying kingdom, was the only building that stood out from all the regular mirror buildings. Its structure was made of marble and covered in green mirror tiles on the outside. The inside of the castle was made of white marble forged by the pegeotto and Skarmory from the grounds below. The castle had six towers in a hexagonal shape, connected together by three horizontal chambers, one above the other.

The King of Aerial Kingdom, King Staraptor, was perched on his throne which was basically nothing more than a gold stool with a rod for him to grab onto with his talons and then balance himself. Even with such a plain throne, he looked like the mighty king that he was. After all, his kingdom was placed in the top three strongest pokemon kingdoms. They had their flying ability to thank for it and their alliance with Frere Kingdom who mostly fought all their battles from the land, taking care of their enemies before they even had a chance to think about attacking Aerial Kingdom.

A Skarmory flew into the throne room from the oval shaped window and then landed gracefully before the king. He stretched out his silver wings and craned his neck to bow. "You're Majesty. I come with news form the Frere Kingdom."

The King signaled with his wing for the Skarmory to continue. The Skarmory raised its head and then delivered the news.

"The King of Frere Kingdom, King Arcanine was killed in their most recent battle with Blitz," He informed in a high-pitched voice so that everyone in the throne room could hear. "But, Prince Blaze has succeeded him as the new king. Now, he is ready to march on Blitz Kingdom in vengeance and calls upon you to join him."

"Prince Blaze?" King Staraptor screeched. "That careless little buffoon! He is incapable of leading a battle!"

The Skarmory shut his beak tight in fear of the King's rage that was building. Everybody else seemed to copy his movement and did the same. The King closed his eyes and a few minutes of utter silence followed. In that time period, it felt as if no one was even breathing from the fear of their mighty king's temper.

"I have decided," he said, opening his eyes in that devious way. Looking into the King's eyes, Skarmory felt like the King would have tackled him with those razor sharp talons and gorged his eyes out and then sucked on his blood. It was that glare that could penetrate the soul from within.

"I dissolve my alliance with Frere!" He squawked. Everyone in the courtroom gasped. Even though they were strong enough to survive without an alliance, this seemed rather evil of the king to abandon their faithful ally in times of need.

"But, Your Majesty-" The Skaromory stuttered.

"SILENCE!" He growled as he unsheathed his gold-plated wings and blew a heavy gust at the standing Skarmory, forcing him to kneel. Then he ruffled up his wings in anger which made him appear twice his actual size. "I have no desire to follow a fool in death! Be gone Skarmory! And convey my message, and condolence for the loss of a true king!"

The message sounded cold and harsh, but what choice did the Skarmory have but to obey the king? Yes, being brutally killed counted as a choice but not really the one he was keen to get his talons on and therefore, the fear-stricken bird took off.

King Staraptor calmed down and pulled back his grayish-black feathers. Now, he was going to deliver this news to his daughter, the commander of his army. This, he would prefer to do himself.

Princess of Aerial Kingdom, Princess Tranquill flew throughout the wide passageways of her palace, which had been specially crafted to allow flight through them. The pure white marble gleamed in the sunlight, which flowed into the chamber through open holes in the walls that served as windows, and entry and exit points for the flying types within.

The young Tranquill thought of her father's warning as she flew. She had mastered the art of deep thought while flying, as she was the fastest and most graceful flyer in the entire kingdom. As the commander of one of the fiercest armies in the entire pokemon world, it was vital for her to master this skill. Her father had warned her that ever since they had made the alliance with Frere, they had to be prepared to assist them in battle at any time. If it did come to that, she would be the one to lead the armies. Princess Tranquill thought that she would be frightened at the prospect, but she found that she was ready to lead.

She swiftly flew through the passage, her wings whistling softly as they sliced through the thin air. She was going faster than normal but she was capable of handling herself easily at much greater speeds. She demonstrated this by expertly looping around, using the new angle to gracefully make a sharp turn. At last, she was at her destination. When she landed on the perch before her chamber, Crobat her personal advisor was already waiting for her. The Crobat crossed his wings, and nudged open the door for her.

"Late, late, late!" He chided as she folded her wings and entered the room. "You really ought to fly faster, kid."

Princess Tranquill shot him an annoyed glare which could never rival that of her father, unless she evolved or something. "We're the same age. Just because you're two days older than me doesn't mean anything." She pouted, frowning.

In addition to her advisor, Crobat had become one of her closest friends over the years. They constantly got on each other's nerves, but holding a grudge against each other was practically impossible.

Flash forward, Princess Tranquill and Crobat were circling the palace of their Aerial kingdom. Today of all days her father had decided to conduct her training course personally, which meant that there was something important he wanted to discuss. The Princess had anticipated that easily. He had employed the same method when he had broken the sad news of her mother's death while her younger brother was lost in stillbirth. Somehow, the intense training always kept her from feeling depressed and her father found it easiest to break the news to her when she was at it.

Despite the fact that she was a little sore from flying back a short time before, it failed to bring any mass effect on her strengths and stamina. They began by doing three laps around the white marble palace, its six tall towers arranged in a hexagonal position shining brilliantly. They then closed in, and began looping the chambers that connected the towers, like the one that Princess Tranquill had just flown through. She gracefully circled the chambers outside, speeding just inches away from its green surface. The initial pain of her wings being stressed when they were still sore was gone now, and she was free to fly as she wished. From there, she angled upward, barrel rolling as she did, until they had flown high enough to see the entire kingdom. The green castle below looked like a giant emerald from that altitude.

"Alright, that's enough for today. You did well, now let's head back to the palace," King Staraptor called out as he flapped gracefully towards them.

How he flew so easily with all that gold armor on his wings was still a mystery to her. She simply nodded, and as one, they dived down to the castle, slicing through the air, whistling as they went.

Her father, King Staraptor, landed elegantly on the green floored training arena below with his daughter following along. His movements had made her landing look a bit clumsy but then again, she was no perfectionist like her father was. He folded his wings and looked down upon his daughter, feeling her look up at him.

"Tranquill," he addressed her with that blank expression. "I expect you to be ready."

"I am ready father," She said solemnly. All her life, Princess Tranquill had strived perfection, to become like her father so he would always love and treasure her. The only thing she had in her mind was that her father meant to use every minute of her beating heart to protect the kingdom until the day she was slain on the battlefield. Would he care if she were to be killed? No, he would not. She was sure of that. He was too cruel to care; even as her father.

"We are no longer in alliance with Frere," he informed her. "So we mustn't expect any help from anyone for our future. Strengthen yourself to your limits. I expect you to lead any battle we may face."

"I understand, father," She replied, bowing in respect.

"Failure will not be pardoned," he told her, turning around. "You are the daughter of the King of Aerial Kingdom after all." With that, he flapped open his magnificent wings and took to the skies, flying with the speed of light.

As soon as she was sure he was out of view, Princess Tranquill looked up and sighed. Crobat landed next to her and noticed her despair. The only thing he could do was give her the comfort of his presence. Even that was enough for her.

"Does he ever smile?" Crobat inquired, playing with one of his purple wings.

"Not in my presence, no," Princess Tranquill replied, hanging her head down.

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 **Ok, leave a review and tell me what you think.**

 **Next chapter: Spotlight to the Sylveon Queen.**


	17. Fairy Queen

**Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon.**

 **I apologize in advance for any grammatical or spelling mistakes you find.**

* * *

 **Chapter 17:**

 **In Florasia Kingdom:**

Looking at herself in the mirror of her dressing room, Queen Eleanor smoothed the leaf on her head with her tan paw. She was standing on her hind legs to look into the mirror as she gave final touches to herself before leaving for the Stardust Kingdom. She got down on her front paws and turned to the glass bowl of fresh water waiting for her. Freshly-picked roses, glowing crimson red, were floating in the cool water. She picked up one of the roses and traced it over her face and ears and then down to her neck. Her skin tingled with the contact of the cold water that left the smell of the roses lingering on her.

Dumping the rose back into the bowl, she took her gold necklace with the Florasia symbol on it and fastened it securely around her neck. Then smoothing the leaf on her tail, she swept out of the room, followed by Grovyle who had been patiently waiting for her right outside by the door.

"Your Majesty," he reported as they continued to walk soundlessly down the corridors towards the throne room. "I have arranged for the Aalakazam to teleport us close to the grounds of the Stardust Kingdom as you requested."

"Excellent," she waved him and they continued walking with those solemn expressions and soon, they reached the huge wooden door of the Throne room, covered in dark green vines growing all over it.

"I assume the Queen has written back to us about this?" She asked him without looking at him, her guards opening the doors for her.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Grovyle replied as he hastened behind her.

The Throne room of the Florasia Kingdom was one with nature, just like the castle itself. The Kingdom had green carpet leading to the throne. On either side, the ground was leveled lower. Fresh soil had been laid on this lower area and grass had been planted with wild, thorny flowers growing everywhere. It was like a garden inside the throne room.

Outside the balcony, you could see the long roots of the giant Willow tree running all the way down and touching the ground. When Eleanor was an Eevee, she would sneak out of the castle by using her tiny claws to grasp the old but strong roots and sliding down to the ground below and then, using her tiny body, to make her escape through the palace walls and into the city. The commoners had been her friends rather than the sons of the nobles of Florasia. Now that she was a Queen, she didn't have time for these childish pleasantries. She had far bigger things to worry about.

In the throne room, six Roserade warriors were waiting for her. Sitting on the grassy part of the throne room were the two twin brothers, The Aalakazam, who had been summoned into the court to teleport the queen, her royal advisor, her ride, the Venusaur and the six Roserade warriors to the plains of Limestone which marked the territory of the Stardust Kingdom.

The venusaur kneeled and the Leafeon Queen climbed his back and seated herself on the tree in the middle of his back. Grovyle, using his agile legs, leaped onto the Venusaur's head the very next second. Sliding his leafy fingers between the double rein, he guided the Venusaur onto the grass, followed by the roserade, three on each side.

The Aalakazam brothers, feeling the royal presence drawing near, opened their eyes and stood up. On the signal of the Queen, they drew out their hands and channeled their psychic energy on the Leafeon Queen. Pink smoke began to surround the group and in the mist, they vanished. The Aalakazam brothers were shortly dismissed and they teleported out of the castle premises.

Queen Eleanor and her deputation found themselves in a land which they had so far only heard of. Pink grounds lied beneath their feet, stretching out for miles ahead. This ground was made of pure limestone that had emerged from the underground a few hundred years ago and marked the beginning of the Fairy-pokemon dynasty. In fact, no one had even heard of the existence of the Fairy-type pokemon prior to this and their kingdom was the last to appear on the map. Many legends narrate that the kingdom had existed underground and dated back to early centuries but after their ancient king had insulted the legendary pokemon that guarded the underground caverns, they were forcefully dumped onto the surface to fend for themselves. The Fossil Kingdom, who knew that the same fate was in store for them, quickly turned their heads and knelt to the legendary, swearing loyalty to him and vowing to worship him. And there they are to this day, worshiping him still. Legends, of course, were not always taken for word.

The rulers of the Stardust Kingdom were known for their pleasure-seeking disposition. As such, they had never made an effort to preserve their history. The kings had spent time sitting on the throne room, having their servants feed them grapes while the court musicians played all night. Despite their lethargic ways, they had been quick in making a name for themselves, building a kingdom faster than any in the history and so far, they had proven themselves no harm to any of the others. Given that, their kingdom rarely had conquests from the conquering kingdom nor did they abandon their luxurious lifestyles to conquer others. In fact, the sole purpose it served to the other kingdoms was trade. Merchant pokemon would travel from far areas to trade the special limestone objects carved by the fairy pokemon. Their single largest trade was quite possibly the gold armor. While the Fairy-pokemon themselves had no need for such heavy armor, the demand from neighboring kingdoms had allowed this industry to grow rapidly in their kingdom.

Queen Eleanor and her deputation made a short journey until they found the Kingdom of Stardust situated in this land of limestone. The castle overlooked the entire area and was also built of limestone. Queen Eleanor took in the structure carefully and concluded that the castle must have been carved into a Limestone mountain and that would mean that the entire castle walls and its corridors were all made of pure limestone. It was magnificent to say the least. _World really is a wonderful place._ She thought.

Queen Eleanor requested entry into the kingdom which was granted easily since she was a royal quest of their Queen. With the sound of a loud trumpet, their arrival was announced and the iron gates to the city leading to the castle were opened for them. The Floette guards bowed as Eleanor's Venasaur slowly made his way into the castle grounds, the Roserade following at his heels.

The road to the castle had been easy and once inside the castle premises, Queen Eleanor realized that the castle gardens didn't have real vegetation either. Instead, small sculptures of many hundred flowers had been carved out of limestone and even sculptures of trees could be seen. _It must be the hands of the Fairy-pokemon craftsman._ Queen Eleanor thought, taking in the beauty of the glowing flowers from the reflected light. _They look so life-like._

This was a strange view for pokemon that had been born and raised in the lap of flora. Yet, the beauty they beheld could not be put into words and they found it hard to tear their eyes away from this glorious view of the limestone garden. But, they didn't have all the time in the world either. Their mission was to make an alliance with Stardust kingdom. This was going to be a difficult task. Stardust kingdom was one which was not particularly keen about wars and their assistance was not the most reliable one when it came to fighting. Also, it had a number of affiliations with other kingdoms and therefore, persuading them into coming in terms with Florasia might lead to a drastic fall in their trade with other kingdoms, the very trade that had helped the royal family generate the money to support their lavish lifestyles. Queen Eleanor sighed at this thought. This was like the punishment for her after failing to put an end to their old enemy, the Darkus Kingdom. However, Stardust could be a powerful ally. With them, Florasia would have an ensured supply of weapons and armor and while Stardust itself might not fight on the battlefield, financial assistance was one it would willingly provide to compensate for this. This would work out well for Queen Eleanor who trusted her forces more than any other type. This would allow her to command a powerful army without having to deal with the incompetency of another type of pokemon.

Now, they were walking down the hall towards the throne room. Spritzee, the royal advisor of Queen Sylvia the Sylveon, quickly fluttered away inside the throne room in excitement upon hearing of royal guests. Dashing into the throne room like a whirlwind of brightly-colored feathers, he quickly reported to the queen in a series of chirps and blubbers that only the Queen could understand.

"Your Majesty!" He chirped in a squeaky voice. "May I present her royal Majesty, Queen Eleanor the Leafeon and her deputation?"

"You may, yes," she said and giggled a bit, then brought her paw to her muzzle and yawned. Deep inside, her mind was an abyss of wonder. Why did Queen Eleanor chose her kingdom for the visit? She had made no specifications in her letter other than requesting an audience with her. Queen Eleanor and her kingdom were the most uncommunicative of all kingdoms. Also, Florasia Kingdom and Darkus Kingdom were mortal enemies. This was something Prince Skull had explained to her in one of his letters a long time ago.

 **Flashback:-**

Dear Skull,

I am not of the opinion that alliances with Fairy Kingdom would be beneficial for Darkus, yes. As you know, we are not the most reliable war companions and I barely know any battling tactics myself. If I were to find myself in a battlefield, I'd be a damsel in distress, yes. Entering wedlock with you sounds much more pleasant if you will have me. You lack nothing to be declared my King and I your Queen.

There is, however, one more thing I wish to ask about. I fail to understand your enmity with the Florasia Kingdom. I am sure you are well aware that my ancestors did absolutely nothing to preserve history of Stardust Kingdom, let alone any other kingdom. So I have no way of knowing but to inquire about it from you. I offer my deepest apologizes if any of this brings back horrid memories and if you find it difficult to share this piece of information. I suppose it would be quite alright, yes?

Yours Truly

Queen Sylvia

She sent that letter the very night and waited patiently for his response. As she did so, she recalled her history with him.

Their secret conversation had started after the two royals had become acquainted with each other a ball in Stardust. Prince Skull had attended the ball to establish good relations with the royal family of the Fairy Pokemon. This was to pave the path to a strong alliance between the two in the future. This, of course, had not been his own decision but because of the strong advice from his advisor, Absol. Against his personal wished, Skull had attended. Sylvia, too, had been reluctant to add his name to her guest list during the preparations, presuming someone as dull as Prince Skull would be quite a bore at one of her lavish parties.

Once the two had met, it was love at first sight for the Sylveon Queen. Prince Skull was a handsome youth and had the charms to match. While he was not as chatty as the others, he was deeply respectful of the Queen. Sylvia had been showered with flattery all her life and the mysterious and quiet nature of the Dark Prince had drawn her to him. Of all the nobles she had met, he was the one who had captured her heart.

She had started writing to him soon after and while the Darkus Prince did not write back as frequently nor as quickly, it was hardly enough to discourage the Fairy Queen. Soon enough, the two developed a friendship of sorts and while Skull was still neutral to the topic, Sylvia's affections for the prince had deepened with every letter.

With her growing feelings, her patience began to deplete until one day, she confessed. She had foolishly led herself to believe that there was no way he'd reject her feelings for her knowing she was the fairest maiden in the land. To her dismay his response had not been the one she had expected.

He had told her that he could not return those feelings because engaged to Queen Esperanza. Queen Sylvia had read that letter with teary eyes, her heart shattering with every word her lips read.

Dear Sylvia,

Your honesty is what I can admire but I must inform you that I am engaged to Queen Esperanza of the Aurora Kingdom. I belong to her and there is no one I'd rather be with. If not her, then none other for she is the one my heart yearns for every night, every day.

I apologize but I cannot return your affections.

Sincerely

Prince Skull

The awkwardness had taken time but finally it dissolved and they were fast friends once more. He would tell her about his battles and she would tell him about the balls she had on a weekly basis. They were so far apart and in two entirely different worlds. And yet, Sylvia could not come to terms with the idea that Skull could take someone for a bride other than her.

The news about Esperanza's wedding to another had been music to her pretty pink ears. She had never been happier in her life. In fact, in celebration, she had thrown a grand ball for all the nobles and the ball had lasted for three nights. But of course, only she knew the actual reason for the grand celebrations. The next few days, she had spent her time trying to console Prince Skull who had no need for this. To her astonishment, she had discovered that it was he who called off the engagement. Her naïve little heart had allowed her to believe that it was she he wanted instead of Esperanza and Sylvia was ecstatic. She had made every effort to portray herself as a sincere friend. Only a few weeks later, she had started making romantic advancements towards him. She would give hints in her letters, all of which were always ignored as his letters sounded purely business and serious in all matters.

A short time later after Esperanza's wedding and her supposedly broken ties with Skull, Sylvia invited him over to her castle. Imagine her delight when he came. She had spent her entire afternoon with him in her limestone garden, listening to him narrate books and tell her about ancient battles fought by Darkus and other kingdoms. She took in his every word like the words of a legendary pokemon. She sat by the limestone fountain while he described the world outside of Stardust Kingdom, the world she never knew. When he spoke to her about the tales of warriors and explained their meaning to her, he left her more dazzled and enchanted than ever. When he was about to leave, she had made every effort into persuading him to stay at her castle for a few days but he had rejected politely, stating he had business to take care of with Florasia kingdom.

Now, it was months later and finally, she had mustered the courage to inquire about Florasia kingdom. She fantasized about him while waiting for him to write back, giggling to herself as she replayed his visit to her kingdom. It wasn't long either because a few minutes later, a Pidove was tapping on her window with his beak, begging to be led in.

As soon as she got her paws on the letter, she clawed it open and read it.

Dear Queen Sylvia,

I do not plan to put you in a war. Believe me, I wish to make alliances simply because I have befriended you. Your Kingdom is rich in trade and I assume it can serve me well for supplying weapons for my own battles. I would never request you to assist me in battle. My nation is a strong one. If we must fight, we shall fight our battles without help.

To answer you question, Florasia Kingdom is the one I despise the most. It was their king that killed my parents in a war when I was but an Eevee. They are to blame for my sufferings and my miserable life. I was forcefully evolved and then strained to take over the throne. Queen Eleanor, the current ruler, did not have a hand in this but as she is the present ruler of Florasia, my vengeance requires me to stain my paws with her blood. Forgive me for my language. I do not have any other words to put it in.

Yours Sincerely

Prince Skull

Sylvia's face dropped into a frown as she read the letter over and over again. There was no response to her proposal on entering wedlock with him. He had ignored her romantic advances once again. But somehow, she couldn't bring herself to be completely mad at him. Especially after he had poured his heart out to her in that letter, sharing what could have possibly been his darkest secret.

Her muzzle had a goofy smile plastered on it. She pictured him once more inside her head before beginning to write again.

 **Flash back ends:-**

Now, Queen Eleanor stood before her, bowing unnecessarily because this formality was for commoners and servants and courtier, not royal guests. The only time Prince Skull had ever bowed to her was when he gazed upon her for the first time and wanted to kiss her paw. That feeling was still fresh in her mind.

"Queen Eleanor, yes!" She greeted cheerfully. "I do wonder what brings you to Stardust? Have a seat, yes?"

 _She is unspeakably jolly, that pretty fairy maid._ Queen Eleanor thought as she followed the Queen to another room, leaving behind her roserade and Grovyle and the Venusaur they were riding.

"I come with a sole purpose only," Queen Eleanor began in her queenly accent.

She had no desire to involve herself in pleasant conversation with what she labeled a doll royalty spoilt with riches. She probably had many suitors too and though it was hard for her to accept, Queen Eleanor had to admit that Sylvia was way prettier than she ever could be. Being the evolutions of the same pokemon, it didn't feel fair that one of them had evolved into a more elegant and beautiful pokemon.

"Oh, we have plenty of time for that, yes!" Queen Sylvia chirped with a broad smile on her muzzle. "But first, you should eat, yes! We make the best biscuits, yes!"

 _Are they made of Limestone as well?_ Eleanor grumbled in her thoughts, resisting the urge to scream at the unusually jovial Fairy Queen. Then to the Sylveon Queen, she answered: "No, but thank you all the same."

Queen Sylvia told Spritzee to fetch some anyway and he flew off in a blur of pink. She had probably ordered those for herself. _What a peculiar little bird._ Eleanor thought then shook the thought away.

"Oh yes," Queen Sylvia said, bringing her attention back to the Leafeon Queen. "What is it that the Leafeon Queens seeks from me?"

Her voice was polite with a hint of squeakiness and terribly loud. The Queen of Florasia, the enemy of her beloved, had paid her a visit. She kept wondering if Prince Skull would finally give her the attention she craved if she were to put an end to Eleanor's life right there in her court. But then again, she had never been the one to support bloodshed and was browsing her mind for easier alternatives. Also, Prince Skull would probably prefer to kill her himself.

"I wish to make a proposal to your kingdom," Queen Eleanor stated bluntly. "I wish to join hands with Stardust in an alliance. If her Majesty pleases of course."

"Oh but one must wonder why Stardust, no?" Queen Sylvia asked, trying to appear confused. "You do realize we are perhaps the most weakest when it comes to war." Then to provoke a certain reaction, she added; "Why not form an alliance with Darkus. yes? They are one of the strongest kingdoms yes?"

"Yes indeed," Queen Eleanor replied quickly, slightly baffled by that change of tone. "But question me not, your Majesty. I solely wish to join hands with you. The Prince of Darkus is rather cruel to me."

"Cruel you say, yes?" Queen Sylvia asked. "In what way might I ask?"

"I correct myself," Eleanor spoke somberly, bringing her head down. "I think it was rather that we had been cruel to them. Anyways, it was a long, long time ago and I believe Prince Skull is not so keen on making alliances with anyone. May I know of your decision? You do not have to make it immediately though."

By this time, the cookies had arrived and as Queen Eleanor had anticipated, they were made of limestone as well. Eleanor watched in a mix of disgust and astonishment as Sylvia munched on the cookies, pretending to think.

"I shall tell you something, yes?" Queen Sylvia said as she had chewed down and swallowed the first cookie. "I will write to you in a few days and inform you for my decision. Does that please Her Majesty?"

Eleanor sighed internally. She could not force this on Queen Sylvia either. She came here seeking help, not to instigate anger in the fairy-type Queen. "I suppose so. Then I shall depart on my journey. I shall wait for your answer then, yes?"

"Huh?" Sylvia blinked. Eleanor quickly regretted her words. _That was rather rude of me!_ She hadn't meant to copy Sylvia's accent because now it sounded like she had just insulted the Queen.

'I apologize," Eleanor quickly apologized, bowing her head. "That was purely unintentional. Do forgive me."

She relaxed when Queen Sylvia burst out laughing. "Not to worry, yes."

Eleanor stifled as laugh as well _._ Queen Sylvia then walked her back to the throne room where she was reunited with her deputation.

* * *

 **Okay. Hopefully I'll get the time to update two or at least one chapter in the next four days.**

 **See ya guys later!**


	18. Lord's Command

**Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon.**

 **Chapter 12**

 **In Blitz Kingdom:**

King Ampharos had been anxiously waiting for the news about his only and mistakenly exiled daughter's whereabouts in his room. He was pacing frantically from one corner of the golden painted room to another. The sphere on the edge of his tail glowing a dangerous yellow with the electricity due to the tension and pressure he was in. Volt was supposed to arrive hours ago from the Aurora Kingdom with the news on whether Sapphire was seeking refuge with Queen Esperanza or not.

Suddenly, the door burst open and a Menetric walked in, breathing heavily. "Your Majesty!" he reported in a manly growl. "Prince Volt has returned."

"Send for him in the court room," King Ampharos declared and proceeded to go for the door. Apparently, Menetric wasn't finished with the message he came with. He stood tall and held his head high. He then proceeded to deliver the rest of the message he had brought from Prince Volt.

"Sire," He said. "Prince Volt wishes to rest before presenting himself in your exalted presence with the results."

King Ampharos thought for a moment and then sighed. Volt was right in his request to be allowed to rest. He had had a long journey after all. King Ampharos reluctantly agreed. "Very well," he replied. "What is the word about the result anyway?"

The Menetric hesitated for a moment, not sure how the king would take it. But since he was just an ordinary servant, he was bound to answer. "His highness has made an alliance with the Aurora kingdom," Menetric reported. After spilling it out, he held his breath, waiting for the response. Either the king would dismiss him without any particular reaction for which he would be thankful, or end up blowing out in anger, which was bad. Menetric was only too glad when he met with the former.

"Thank you," The King said politely. 'You may leave."

Menetric sighed in relief, then bowed his head in respect and left the King to himself. Whatever King Ampharos had in mind regarding the situation, it would be revealed in the evening when the King would confront his son about his expedition. If Prince Volt had made a mistake, it would be dealt with.

Volt, who had just returned from the journey, did not feel like in the mood to talk this over with his father. The plan he had in mind was carefully thought out. The only thing he had to do was put his father on a false trail once again until he would achieve his goal: To kill Sapphire and put an end to her once and for all.

Volt was in his room. He was lying on his back with his four paws in the air and he breathed heavily, smiling menacingly to himself. He had dismissed all the six Luxray who had travelled with him to the Aurora Kingdom and after sending the message to his father, he crashed in his room and tried to relax his muscles. His muscles were tensed, eager for a fight, eager to release all the electricity that had built up inside of them and had no means of getting out unless Volt used some kind of move. The Royal Advisor, Pachirisu, quickly climbed the bed of the prince and looked down at Volt with a worried expression. Although Volt had told him about the alliance with Aurora Kingdom, the royal advisor was very much frightened because he knew that Prince Volt had a much more sinister meaning behind this untimely and unplanned alliance. This, like all of his previous plans, was of course to be centered around the assassination of Princess Sapphire.

"Ah! Pachirisu," Volt addressed him, rolling over onto his stomach. "I am glad I am in your company. Do massage my back. I am awfully tired from my travels."

"I understand, your highness," Pachirisu replied, bobbing his head in a low bow. _I was with you all the time. How do you think I feel about weariness?_

Making his way to where the Prince was lying with his head resting between the paws of his front legs, Pachirisu turned around and began to massage the prince by thumping his back with the curl of his tail. The smile on the Prince's muzzle was signal enough that he was enjoying this treatment and that it was helping him relax. It was time to find out what the Prince was really planning.

"Your Highness?" He asked earnestly, keeping his tone balanced as to not show anger or any kind of sarcasm that he was feeling inside. 'Would you mind if I inquire about the reason you made alliances with Queen Esperanza and her kingdom?"

"Why do you ask, my dear friend?" Volt chuckled, clearly amused by the most obvious question he had coming. "Is it not good to have an alliance these days?"

It wasn't hard for him to guess that Pachirisu would be the first to ask. And as always, Pachirisu would be the first and only to know of the Prince's true intentions.

"Yes it is," Pachirisu replied a little hesitantly. He began to thump slower and harder on to the back of the Prince. "I agree with you wholeheartedly. But I was wondering. What good would it do to be in an alliance with a kingdom that has no desire to fight and only fights in defense?"

Volt chuckled again. Then took a deep breath and spoke: "She has seen Sapphire!"

Pachirisu's eyes widened. It was the part that the Prince had hidden from him; Or rather a part of a bigger part of the story that he had hidden from him. Suppressing his astonishment, Pachirisu questioned the Prince further regarding the matter, starting with the first thing that came in his mind.

"Is it true then?" He asked the Prince. "Was Sapphire really in Aurora Kingdom? Did you leave her behind on purpose then?"

Volt laughed slowly, closing his eyes. "No, she is not in Aurora Kingdom," he replied with a hint of humor in his voice. "But she has been spotted by Queen Esperanza in the Battle she had with Darkus."

"So she is in Darkus?" Pachirisu asked and the Prince nodded. "So what is your plan your Highness."

Volt gave a yawn. Clearly he was tired from his long journey and Pachirisu's interrogations weren't helping. "I made alliance with the Aurora Kingdom so I can lead a battle against Darkus. If Sapphire showed up once, she is bound to show up again in the next battle. Then, I shall have my chance to kill her."

Pachirisu, although sickened to the core of his heart by the Prince's ill intentions, found himself out of courage to speak against the matter. He didn't question the Prince further. He kept massaging his back in silence until Volt fell asleep.

 **That evening….**

Whether he liked it or not, Volt had this coming. Sooner or later, he had to go report the entire mission to his father. Having rested peacefully all afternoon, he found himself in high spirits and ready to confront his father and tell him everything; tell him everything with a twist of his own that is.

His fur was standing on its ends, sparking with electricity that needed to be led out. Volt had spent quite a long time, trying to get his fur to sit down and make him look his natural self, not aggressive. It wasn't working. Fed up with his spiky hair and their wild electrical surge, he threw open his window and with all the energy he could muster, he lashed out all the electricity from the fur into the open air. He was able to keep up his thunderbolt for much longer than he had ever remembered. Finally, feeling the intensity of the electricity in his fur settling down, he withdrew his attack and closed his window. He had accidently hit a few innocent Pidove and even watched them fall to the ground and break their necks but he couldn't care less about their wellbeing. _They probably died_ he thought.

With that out of the way, he swept out of his room in a yellow blur, dodging between the people standing in the corridors or just passing through. Being the smooth runner that he was, he made it to the throne room in the shortest time possible without knocking over a single pokemon. Taking a deep breath, he entered the room and walked down the red carpet and knelt before his father.

"Welcome back, my child," King Ampharos greeted him. Volt raised his head and looked up at his father.

"I hear you made an alliance with Aurora Kingdom," King Ampharos growled. "May I ask the reason behind this?"

"Father, I ask of you," Volt said as politely as he could. "Is it wrong to have an alliance these days when we are running wars?"

"No, not in the slightest," King Ampharos replied. "But I sent you to find your sister. Not find yourself a bride."

"Rest assured father that I do not harbor any romantic feelings towards her Majesty, Esperanza," He said rather quickly. It almost seemed like he was defending himself. "And I certainly do not plan to make her my bride. She is already married."

A few of the female servants in the courtroom snickered at this but their laughs were barely audible. Volt was a charmer alright with his natural good looks and riches, but given his wrenched heart, he wasn't the kind to savor the feelings of love. Not everyone can find love.

"Moving on," King Ampharos said, glaring at the servants that immediately wiped their smiles away. "Any news on your Sapphire?"

"I am deeply grieved to say that no," Volt answered, faking a frown when his lips really just wanted to curl upwards in a snaky smile. "I had been mistaken. She is not in Aurora Kingdom after all."

A few minutes of silence fell upon the court. King Ampharos pondered over this, and then finally spoke: "I suppose we are out of leads then, Volt."

Volt snickered. It was time to put his plan into action. "Are we now, father?" He said, smiling pleasantly. King Ampharos looked at him in bewilderment, and then motioned with his head for the Prince to continue.

"Well Father," He said. "I do believe that in their recent battle, Aurora Kingdom fought against Darkus Kingdom. I have a feeling that it was Prince Skull who found Sapphire and took her with him instead of Queen Esperanza."

"Prince Skull you say?" King Ampharos replied. "I don't think so. If he had encountered Sapphire, he would have had her beheaded the very minute. She was an ice pokemon and Aurora Kingdom did lead the battle with an ice-type army."

"That would imply she is dead," Volt said grimly. No matter how much he wanted, this was not true. From what Esperanza had told him, Sapphire was very much alive. So Volt added: "Maybe not father. Maybe Prince Skull spared her."

"I find it very difficult to believe," The King stated, uncertainty clear in his voice.

"But, it is our only lead," Prince Volt replied. "As long as hope remains, we shall search."

The King wasn't entirely convinced about this idea but decided to trust his son on this, which was a huge mistake. Volt was bent upon killing Sapphire and with Ampharos's permission, there was nothing holding him back from accomplishing his brutal pursuit.

"Very well then Volt," Ampharos said, addressing the kneeling Jolteon. "You may write to your beloved and lead the battle."

"Thank you Father," Volt said grimly, kneeling. He muttered under his breath through gritted teeth: She is not my beloved!

 **In Aquanesia Kingdom:**

Aquila, the Vaporeon queen was in her room, facing her shell-shaped mirror. Three wooper were standing around her. One of them was brushing the white ruff around her neck. The other was filing her nails using a pearl white seashell. The last one was polishing her tail with a blue glittering stone. They were her maids, dressing her up for the Ceremony of the Ancients.

"You're all ready My lady," The tallest wooper, the one brushing her ruff, said. The wooper slowly took a few steps back. Aquila nodded to them in dismissal. The bowed their heads and in a flurry of blue, swam out of the queen's room.

Kingdra, the royal Advisor of Aquila, came inside. He cleared his throat. "You Majesty?" He called to her, floating next to the door. She turned and walked over to him, a smile on her muzzle.

"Yes, I am ready," She replied. He nodded his head and then escorted her to the courtroom where the Aquanesia Kingdom was going to have its Ceremony of the Ancients. Aquila was half merry half anxious. For one, she had had no trouble in ruling her kingdom for the past month. Palkia, the legendary pokemon they worshipped, had ordered her to refrain from any fighting and she had done so without any trouble. Thankfully, the presumed attack on her kingdom from the Blitz Kingdom had also not taken place. This meant that the kingdom was spared of an unnecessary war. However, she knew that by now, it is possible that Palkia might encourage her into conquering a kingdom. This seemed like the most likely possibility. Many wars had been reported to have taken place in the past month and it was likely that each kingdom fought on the command of their respective legendary pokemon. It was almost inevitable that Palkia would be thinking the same thing.

She entered the throne room and walked down the aqua blue carpet of the throne room. Her army of Milotic, Huntail, Feraligator and Blastoise were all waiting for her, standing in files of their respective species and kneeling in wait of the queen. Mudkip, the other royal advisor was also present, waiting out front for the Queen and Kingdra to join him.

When Aquila reached the front, Mudkip took up his position behind her on her right, opposed to kingdra on her left and they both lowered their heads. Aquila kneeled down as well.

A portal with swirling pink mist and pearls appeared in front of them and then, a screeching howl was heard. After that, Palkia slowly emerged from the portal. First came his head, then that white body with its glowing pink lines running down his shoulders and then the giant tail. The portal closed behind him. He gave a loud growl and then craned his neck to level with Aquila.

"Aquila, you may rise," he ordered her and she looked up, gazing into his fierce pink eyes that seemed to be burning with anger over something she didn't know about. She had a pretty good idea she was going to find out anyway.

"Lord Palkia," she said, addressing him. "Everything is as you pleased. Aquanesia has refrained from any fights as per your command."

"I am aware of that," Palkia bellowed, bubbles swirling all around him. He blinked slowly as he gazed down at the small Vaporeon standing before him. "However, what I wish to discuss with you, is something else entirely."

Aquila's muscles tensed up. "What is it, My Lord?" She asked, stuttering a bit.

She never stuttered when she conversed with the legendary pokemon. But then again, she had never done anything with doubts that it might anger him. Even before the ceremony began, she had been anxious whether Palkia would approve of her friendship with a land pokemon, more precisely, King Blaze of Frere Kingdom.

"Aquila, is there something you wish to tell me?" Palkia growled. "Something about a fire pokemon?"

Aquila gulped. "Y-yes, My Lord," she replied hesitantly. "There is no use shielding this from your eyes. I have indeed befriended a fire pokemon."

Palkia was silent for a few minutes which didn't help to relax the frightened Queen. She stayed still, breathing slowly and waited for Palkia to tell her whether it was a huge mistake or a welcomed accomplishment.

"I have nothing against this friendship," Palkia stated bluntly. "But, you feel something more towards him. You fancy him, do you not, Aquila?"

 _No use lying, he'd know anyway._ Aquila thought as she felt her cheeks growing hot. Somehow, she managed to counter her little crush with other feelings so that her blush wouldn't appear on her cheeks. It worked.

"Y-yes, I actually do," Aquila finally spoke after getting herself back together. "King Blaze really did win my heart."

"I see," Palkia replied, blinking slowly. "But, you want to be with him on land. So I ask with that in mind, what does your underwater world lack for you to desire such a thing?"

"Love crosses all barriers!" She practically screamed this but the legendary wasn't offended. He listened with his full attention. "And I believe he won't want me to abandon my kingdom to earn his love!"

"Yes," Palkia said manipulatively. "But if you marry him, you'd be his queen. You'd have to live in his palace, on land. You would belong to him."

Aquila was stunned. Her heart was shattering at those thoughts. Why hadn't they occurred to her yet? Simple, because she had been lost in her fantasy with Blaze. She wasn't even sure if he felt the same way about her, whether he fancied her or some other fire pokemon or whether he had been completely honest with her on that one day he had spent with her. Now that Palkia said it, it was impossible to avoid those thoughts. She took in a heavy breath, and sighed.

"We'll find a way," she said, assuring herself more than actually answering the legendary. Palkia gave a growl.

"That, my dear, is impossible," Palkia growled. "Don't be fooled by something as petty as love. It does not exist. Don't let your heart weaken at its thought. It will destroy you."

Aquila looked down. "What do you ask of me to do?" She asked solemnly. She didn't want to talk about Blaze anymore.

"To lead a war against the Frere Kingdom," Palkia said, emotionlessly. A gasp involuntarily escaped Aquila's mouth. Palkia gave her a sinister smile, and then added: "It will help heal your broken heart. Do as I say Aquila. Or consequences won't be pretty."

The portal appeared behind him again. Palkia gave another screeching growl, deafening the people in the courtroom, and then he disappeared into the swirl of pink. The portal vanished, leaving behind a broken hearted queen and two worried royal advisors. Aquila's legs gave way and she crashed on her front paws, her tail sprawled behind her. She was gasping for air, her eyes wide with fear and horror.

"YOUR MAJESTY!" Kingdra and Mudkip squealed simultaneously, worried for the Queen's health. Still gasping, she held up a paw, telling them to stay back. They took a step back reluctantly, their brows furrowed with worry.

"You Majesty?' Kingdra asked her, tilting his head to see if she was hurt. It seemed that she was somewhere else entirely. She didn't want to fight Frere. But Palkia had ordered her to and because of that, she had to. _Or consequences won't be pretty._ His words echoed in her head.

"Prepare the army," she ordered grimly, fury and hatred burning in those blue eyes. Somehow, Mudkip couldn't bring himself to accept that this fury she felt was for the Frere Kingdom or King Blaze. By the look on her face, it seemed like she was in some sort of trance. Aquila slowly stood up, regaining her strengths as she found herself recovering from the shock. _He is right. Why did I let myself believe that something as beautiful as love could happen to me? I have been deprived of it all my life._

"Your Majesty, are you sure?" Mudkip asked hesitantly. Aquila nodded, frowning.

"Yes," She said, yelling so that the entire army in the room could hear. "You heard Palkia's orders. Who are we to deny our savior? Who distorted space to bring our kingdom into existence? Sharpen your weapons! We fight Frere!"

The army in the courtroom roared, acknowledging her orders. Aquila turned her head away from them and looked down on the pearl floors of the throne room.

 _I'm so sorry Blaze._


End file.
